Pandora's Box
by Felix McKraken
Summary: Trunks travels to an alternate past where he doesn't exist. Now, with a depth of faith and constitution, he recruits Goku to help him mute the lurking murderer beneath his father's skin. WARNING: YAOI
1. Prologue

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', '_Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)_', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Prologue**  
  
The sun's morning rays poured into the room and gave everything a sort of glow to it. The warrior slowly pulled on his pants as his mind was focused on other matters. He slipped a snug, black shirt on over his head, tucking it into his pants before tightening the belt around his waist. Next came his socks, and then, his yellow boots that velcroed across. From his bed, he lifted a dark purple jacket that had the Capsule Corp logo stitched onto the left arm and put it on. Lastly, he pulled on a blue strap that crossed his right shoulder and left side, which happened to hold a rather simplistic, though durable, sword. With a shaky breath, he stood, and examined himself in the mirror. Light blue eyes stared back at him for a moment before they wandered, examining other parts of his form: the defined eyebrows, smooth curve of the nose, thin, but even lips, and thick, yet wispy, locks of lavender hair.  
  
He sighed, letting his posture slouch slightly as his mother's words came back to him:  
  
"Honestly, you look so much like your father at times," she would say with a sad smile.  
  
'What does my father look like?' Trunks wondered as he glanced over his features once again, 'I guess I won't have to think about it...I'm actually going to meet him.' He couldn't help but feel nervous, it wasn't everyday you traveled back in time to save the world. It wasn't everyday you got to see your father when you were Trunks Vegeta Briefs. He glanced at the clock, noting that it was time to go. Composing himself, he turned from his room and made his way downstairs.  
  
As he stepped outside, and into the undiffused sunlight, he could see his mother inspecting the time machine she had built. He watched her from a distance and smiled warmly with pride. "Is she ready to fly?" Trunks asked as he approached Bulma, looking over the yellow machine.  
  
"Yeah, I think so," she said, looking first at the time machine, and then at her son, "Trunks, I want to you to be very careful when you go back to the past. I know..you're probably excited about meeting everyone, especially your father, but-"  
  
The demi-Saijin closed his eyes, a small smirk on his lips as he interrupted, "But don't expect too much, right?"  
  
Bulma smiled faintly before placing her hands on Trunks' shoulders, "Honey, I want you to know that I love you very much."  
  
Trunks nodded, pulling his mother into a hug, "I love you too, mom. I promise, I'll be as careful as I can be."  
  
The blue-haired lady resisted the urge to cry, wiping away the first indications of tears, "Oh Trunks..I just hope you'll be okay."  
  
Trunks gave a small laugh, "I'll be fine mom, really. There won't be any androids there. I won't be in danger."  
  
She nodded, then her expression fell serious, "Trunks, you've got to listen to me: Don't do anything to endanger anyone while you're back there. Don't give away information you don't need to give."  
  
Trunks merely nodded at what he already knew, then decided to ask, "Hey mom, why don't you go? I mean, you know the time machine better than I do, and.." He trailed off as his mother shook her head.  
  
"Trunks," she began, giving a forced smile, "Think about it, hon... Bulma..from the future? You know what that'd be like? Weird...really weird. Honey, just trust me, it's easier for them to hear this sort of a thing from a stranger than from me."  
  
Trunks raised an eyebrow, "But..wouldn't you like to go back?"  
  
The lady genius sighed and looked down, "I thought about it, really I have Trunks. I just think...I'm too old and...I don't think I'd be able to handle seeing everyone again. I think I'd try to stay in the past. Besides, you're stronger than me, and Freiza's going to arrive, remember? What good would I be against him? You're a Super Saijin! You can do so much more than I can, son, and.."  
  
She sighed, and then gave him a look that could only be described as motherly, "And I'm so proud of you." She reached over and pulled him into a hug, giving him a kiss on the cheek to boot, "I love you so much! Just go back in time and make your mother proud! Ok?" Trunks nodded and stepped back before opening the main hatch. Bulma pulled out a black Sharpie from her pocket and quickly, but neatly, wrote on the side: Hope!  
  
Trunks typed in the coordinates, listening to the hiss of the hatch closing on its own. The time machine hummed as it came to life, and Trunks buckled his safety belt. What a joke..a safety belt on a machine that would be bending the laws of physics.  
  
As the device lifted into the air, his thoughts shifted to his mother who was waving goodbye enthusiastically. He smiled and waved back, watching her become smaller and smaller. He was embarking on a journey, but he tried his best not to think about it. He thought about making his mother proud, and then, he was gone. 


	2. Mystery Man

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', '_Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)_', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 1**  
aka **Mystery Man**  
  
When the light of day once again shined upon Trunks, he was grateful in that he had arrived somewhere. The computer calculated that he was presently located three years prior to when the androids would first go public. Quickly landing, he returned the time machine into its capsule form so that he could approach the massive energy level that was radiating from somewhere not too far away. 'It has to be Freiza,' Trunks thought to himself, placing the capsule in its case. As he took off into the air, he jammed the said case into his inner jacket pocket, keeping his ki in check.  
  
Just as he suspected, it was Freiza, and with his father no doubt. At least, that's who he assumed the larger, purple alien (who had a resemblance to the smaller, white creature) was. He made a good entrance by killing off a few of Freiza's men with no effort. One look over the albino and Trunks already decided that this fight wasn't even going to cause him to break a sweat, 'If Goku can defeat Freiza, then I surely can.' He made certain that the Z Fighters weren't nearby before concentrating on the impending fight.  
  
Some soldier informed Freiza that Trunks' power level was only that of five. Amused, the power-crazed alien ordered for the lizard-like warrior to fire a round off on the teenager. He did, and Trunks easily swatted the energy away, all the while holding almost utterly still, except for that of the movements which deflected the blasts. The yellow spheres crashed into a few mountain sides in the distance, and Trunks held a very unimpressed look on his face.  
  
The green follower was quite surprised at all of this, so surprised he didn't bother to move as Trunks launched himself forward and socked him square across the jaw. His body crashed into the side of King Cold's ship and he fell with a large thud. Freiza, all the while, watched with a bit of interest. A random warrior called for the next move to be made, and the entire group of soldiers rushed towards the purple-haired teen only to meet the fate of his quick and flawless blade work. Trunks landed unscathed while his attackers literally fell to pieces.  
  
After a bit of conversation, which wasn't all too pleasing for either parties, Trunks finally said with a smirk, "Enough kidding around! It's time you understood who I _really_ am. _So_ I'll tell ya what...I'm going to let the two of you in on a little secret! You're about to find out what it's like to fight a _real_ Super Saijin. And I'm not talking about Goku."  
  
He clenched his hands, holding them about waist high as he took a breath, and released a scream as his energy surged. The bodies and pieces left of the soldiers lifted into the air and were flung out of the area as if they were made of nothing. Large clumps of dirt and rocks rose above the ground, dissolving away at the intensity of Trunks' aura. He felt his hair stand on end, the earliest signs of turning Super Saijin, and then he let himself smirk as he stood up straight, a glow beginning to surround his body. Energy crackled around him, and Trunks watched as Freiza cowered, his face full of complete and utter shock. Finally, he let the power overwhelm him, causing his purple hair to glow a magnificent gold as his body tingled from the transformation. 'There's no way this will last,' Trunks thought, completely sure of himself, 'He's even afraid of me.'  
  
Freiza made a few attempts to take the demi-Saijin's life, but all of them failed. Finally, frustrated, the alien summoned the same attack he used to destroy the planet Namek. The massive ball of liquid fire pressed into the earth, blocking the sight of Trunks completely. Freiza gloated his easy victory, which was cancelled very abruptly when Trunks lifted the giant energy concoction in the air with one hand. "Does this belong to you?" the purple-haired man questioned, a smug look upon his face. Enraged, the tyrant released a small blast into his original attack, causing a reaction that was all too easy to keep under control by a Super Saijin. Finally, Trunks decided he had toyed with the aliens enough, and it was time for them to meet their much-needed end...  
  
***  
  
Powering down, Trunks gave a sigh. He only wished fighting the androids were that easy. It was then he was all too aware that he was being watched. 'Shit! What are they doing here!? Oh god, I hope they didn't see too much...' he cursed himself and his lack of control. The Z Warriors were staring at him in complete and utter awe, amazed at the fact that he had single-handedly destroyed both Freiza and King Cold. 'Might as well go on ahead with the schedule,' Trunks thought to himself before yelling out, "Hey! I'm going to meet Goku! You all are welcome to join me!" He didn't bother examining everyone. He was so excited, and yet...he didn't want to spoil the moment. He wanted to see his father close up, not far away. His gaze was fixated on a point in space, forcing his anxiety to rise. The group was quite surprised with his announcement, so he hastily added, "I'm going to wait over there for Goku! He'll be arriving in two hours!"  
  
He flew off at an easy pace, hoping the others would join him. It'd be so exciting to see everyone his mother talked about. She would tell him stories, when he was a child, about the adventures she had when she was young. She did it mainly to get him to sleep, but partly to relive that portion of her life. Unfortunately, it had its negative consequences, and it made Trunks a very adventurous person - hence his love to follow Gohan around, besides the other obvious reasons.  
  
He landed gracefully, and after a few moments of waiting, was rejoiced to find that the Z Fighters had decided to join him. Carefully, he removed his capsule case from his inner jacket pocket, causing quite a few people to get nervous. He removed a capsule, pressed the top and tossed it a few feet away. After the puff of smoke cleared, he knelt before a mini-fridge that had appeared. As he opened the door, he offered, "It's really hot out here! Would any of you like a drink?"  
  
Gohan gave a nod and rushed over to Trunks, not at all worried. He sensed no threat from the demi-Saijin, a trait part inborn, part learned, "Yeah, sure! Thanks a lot! Orange for me!" Trunks nodded and passed him his choice as he himself got out a can of soda.  
  
Krillin, a bit shyly, approached, "Is there perhaps..a grape in there?" Trunks nodded and handed him the drink as Gohan finished his with a satisfactory sigh.  
  
Bulma suddenly noticed the logo that was on the side of Trunks' jacket. "Hey, do you work for the company?" his past version of his mother queried, gesturing to the sleeve of his jacket.  
  
"Oh!" Trunks realized what she meant, "No..no...."  
  
Bulma smiled a little more warmly, "Oh? A fan then?"  
  
Trunks, nervous, put his hands in his pockets so he wouldn't fiddle with anything, "No..not exactly."  
  
Bulma straightened her posture, putting her hands on her hips, "Well..give me your name and I'll recommend you to dad!"  
  
Trunks shook his head in disagreement, catching onto her ploy, "I'm sorry, I can't tell you that. I know it's strange."  
  
Suddenly a voice rang out, catching everyone's attention, "And why can't you? Sounds like you're hiding something. What do you have to hide, kid? You just killed Freiza after all, there shouldn't be anything _to_ hide."  
  
Trunks blinked as he looked over the blue-skinned man before him, 'Mother never mentioned someone who fit his description...'  
  
Another voice rang out from the back of the group, "Leave the kid alone, Zarbon! You're just jealous because he's stronger than you! Let the boy hide his name if he wishes, what the Hell difference does it make?"  
  
The man presumably known as Zarbon (to Trunks) turned around to face the person who spoke up to him, "You know, Vegeta...you just _have_ to contradict everything I say, don't you? Do I have to beat the shit out of you again to get you to shut up?"  
  
Trunks ignored the rude response as he realized that the man who defended his decision, was in fact, his father. He was more than a little shocked at what he saw; it was definitely not what he had expected. His attire was strange for one - a pink shirt, a white muscle shirt underneath, lime green pants, and black shoes. His dark brown hair seemed to look a bit unruly, as if he didn't brush it that morning, or for several days for that matter, and two dark circles were under his eyes, signifying that he hadn't had much sleep at all recently.  
  
Vegeta glared at Zarbon and looked the other way, muttering something along the lines of, "Whatever..."  
  
Trunks inhaled nervously, and spoke up to ease the tension, "Well, I guess we'll have to wait. Goku's not due to arrive for another two hours or so."  
  
Gohan turned and looked up at him, "Yeah, how do you know that?"  
  
Trunks shifted his weight and looked down, "Uh..sorry, I can't tell you that either."  
  
Bulma threw her hands up in the air, "I guess we'll have to wait then!"  
  
Zarbon adjusted his clothing, as if getting used to the new outfit, "I guess so.."  
  
Everyone took places around the nearby area and there was total silence, save for that of the wind, and Bulma's non-stop chatter with Zarbon. Trunks took a deep breath, and taking a bold step, looked over at his father again. Vegeta was sitting on a rock by himself, one knee propped up with his elbow resting upon it. His gaze moved upward and he caught Trunks red-handed. He quickly shouted out, "What!?"  
  
The young man faltered for an excuse, "Uh..nothing, it's just, uh...I like your shirt."  
  
Vegeta merely redirected his gaze, staring off into the distance. After sometime however, he felt like he was being watched, and so, he turned to find Trunks staring at him again, "What is it! The shirt? Here, have it!" He got up and began unbuttoning it, ignoring any other looks he may have been receiving. Trunks fumbled around for something to say, taken aback by the prospect. All the fighters watched Vegeta take off the shirt, walk over, and throw it into Trunks' lap. "There," the prince proclaimed as he sat down.  
  
As the brunette got comfortable again, the demi-Saijin suddenly saw something Vegeta must have been previously hiding, and the young man could only stare as he watched his father's tail twitch back and forth in the air in an agitated fashion. Turning his attention away from the prince, Trunks felt terribly embarrassed, but slightly enthusiastic. He lied about liking the shirt, but now as he held it in his hands, he began to feel the sentimental value it held. 'I wonder what mom will say when I come back with dad's shirt,' Trunks smirked to himself, folding the item up neatly and storing it into a capsule for later, 'I hope Goku arrives soon...too bad I know he isn't due for at least another hour.'  
  
***  
  
"Goku!" everyone called out, waving frantically, happily. As the black-haired Saijin pulled himself out of his ship, he looked up, quite surprised. He flew up and landed before everyone, greeting them all.  
  
"Wow! How'd you guys know where I was going to land?" he asked, completely impressed.  
  
Bulma answered before anyone else had the chance, "Oh, that's thanks to 'Mystery Man' over there." She pointed at Trunks who approached the full-blooded Saijin.  
  
"Amazing! And who beat Freiza?" he asked the most prominent question that was nagging him.  
  
"That too," Zarbon mentioned, "was 'Mystery Man' over there." Goku nodded to the alien and looked over at Trunks to congratulate him.  
  
"Goku," the purple-haired man said in a very serious tone, "Can we have a talk? Alone? Over there?"  
  
Goku nodded, becoming a little serious as well, "Yeah, sure."  
  
Bulma called off to him as he followed Trunks, "Be careful, Goku!" He waved back at the group, and landed a considerable distance away from the party.  
  
'I can't believe I'm meeting Goku,' Trunks thought to himself, 'Gohan's father..the strongest fighter on all of Earth..I have to test him. I just have to.'  
  
***  
  
"Man, you're good. No, you're great!" Trunks complimented, thoroughly happy with the way Goku performed, "I wasn't too sure, but now I have no doubt that you can handle this." Goku tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "My name is Trunks, and I didn't come here to kill Freiza, I only did that because I wasn't sure if you were going to be able to make it here in time or not," Trunks began to explain, sticking his hands in his pockets again. It was a nervous habit, but it was better than smoking.  
  
"Hmm? But I could've been here at any time! I know I was two hours behind, but thanks to a new technique I've learned, I could've been here in seconds!" Goku watched Trunks take in this information with a bit of a shock.  
  
"Man! I wish I had known that.." Trunks took a deep breath, "That way I could've came later and met you alone and not risk meeting the others!" The black-haired Saijin scrunched his eyebrows together in wonder, but Trunks continued before he could question anything. "You see, Goku," the young man said, "I'm from the future. I'm here to tell you that three years from now, a pair of deadly androids are going to emerge. They're going to be more powerful than any enemy you've ever faced. They're ruthless killing machines who delight in other's pain. Living in my time is like living in a nightmare..always running, always hiding, and there's no stopping them! Goku, I don't want this to happen. I believe some history should be changed. That's why I'm here."  
  
Goku took a deep breath, "You mentioned about these androids, Trunks. But what about us? The special forces couldn't possibly..." He frowned and trailed off as Trunks' expression darkened.  
  
The demi-Saijin shook his head, "Everyone dies, Goku. Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien.._everyone_ dies in the battle against the androids! _That's_ how powerful they are!"  
  
Goku blinked a few times before replying, "But, I.....What happens to me, Trunks? Do I die in the battle too?"  
  
Trunks took another deep breath, and stood up straight, "No, you die before the battle. Not too long from now, you're going to catch a nasty virus that attacks the heart. Not even a Super Saijin can overcome it..and..you die."  
  
Goku's eyes went wide, and his hands clenched into fists, "What!? No way! I die because of a stupid virus!? No, I have to fight, Trunks! I can't let everyone down like that!"  
  
Trunks took a small step back, "A-Are you serious? After all you heard about the androids you want to fight them? I mean, aren't you scared?" Trunks knew that he himself was scared, as always, the future was unpredictable, that is, once the past changes.  
  
Goku sighed and relaxed a little, "Well, yeah. I mean, every challenge is a little frightening at first, but still! If they're as bad as you say they are, Trunks, I can't let them hurt anyone, especially those I know and care about."  
  
Trunks beamed, silently thanking his mother for making the time machine, "That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Here, take this, man. For your health." Trunks pulled out a capsule from his front jacket pocket and tossed it to Goku. The taller Saijin examined the bottle with curiosity as Trunks explained, "There's no cure now for that virus you'll get, but in my time, there is. Take this when you get sick and you'll be better within a few days."  
  
Goku grinned and held the bottle securely, "Hey, thanks a lot! Oh, and Trunks, I have a question..."  
  
Trunks shifted his weight and gave a pleasant smile, "Yeah, sure, ask me anything, Goku."  
  
The full-blooded Saijin put the medicine in his pocket, "A couple of minutes ago, you were a Super Saijin, weren't you? I could feel it.." Trunks suddenly realized the situation he had put himself in. "...and I was just thinking if you're able to go Super Saijin you must have Saijin blood in you, and well..if I were just to guess, you look a little bit like a Saijin prince I know.." Goku trailed off again, a grin spreading across his lips.  
  
Trunks blushed lightly, "Yeah, you see..my dad, Vegeta, he gets a little lonely and hooks up with my mom not too long from now."  
  
Goku seemed pleased, "Well, that's good to hear. I was worrying about him."  
  
Trunks nearly forgot to breathe, "You were??" The way his mother spoke about Vegeta, it was as if he had no connections to anyone _but_ her.  
  
The taller man laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Ever since I beat him when he first came to Earth...he's been kind of a loner. It's good to hear that he's able to be close to someone like that."  
  
Trunks gave a small laugh, "Yeah, well, mom told me not to expect a lot from him, but I don't think he's as bad as she's made him out to be."  
  
Goku began to laugh harder, "Yeah, well, I guess I could see why someone could exaggerate his characteristics..he is a very unique individual. Honestly, I mean that in the best possible way."  
  
Trunks looked over at the light green dot in the distance, "Yeah..." His eye caught the form of the man his mother hadn't mentioned to him, "Hey, Goku? I have a question for you too..."  
  
Goku folded his arms, "Sure."  
  
"That man..Zarbon?" Trunks turned his gaze back to the black-haired man, "Who is he?"  
  
Goku raised his eyebrows, flatly replying, "You don't know?" Trunks hesitantly shook his head, a strange type of nervousness and fright pitting in his stomach. Goku gave a shrug and smiled happily again, "We met him on Namek. Vegeta and him had a fight, and after he won, he went off on his own. Once he realized that Freiza had no chance of surviving, he joined our side. He met Bulma and they seemed to have hit things off pretty well so I think he'll be alright. I hope he'll be alright."  
  
Trunks blinked slowly, having to catch his breath before he asked, "Wait...Zarbon and Bulma are..together?" Goku nodded, wondering why Trunks was so interested in their relationship. 'Why didn't mother mention him?' Trunks thought to himself, 'Is it because things fell through so bad she doesn't want to talk about him, or he died and it's so painful she doesn't want to talk about it?' Another thought came to Trunks and he looked up at Goku, "Hey, Goku..? Why does Vegeta have a tail?"  
  
Goku's eyebrows raised again, "All Saijins have tails, Trunks. Mine get cut off a long time ago, and Gohan had his removed by Piccolo a year before the whole catastrophe with Vegeta and Nappa coming to Earth."   
  
Trunks blinked a few times and recalled the circular scar at the base of his spine. He had seen it on more than one occasion when he'd been showering, or dressing, or things of the like, 'I probably had a tail once as well, then. Mom probably got it removed at birth.'  
  
Trunks smiled and waved to Goku, "Look, I better get going! I'll see you in three years, ok?"  
  
Goku nodded and waved back, "Ok! See you later, Trunks!"  
  
Trunks floated up into the air, "Oh! And please don't mention anything about this to the others, ok? Especially anything about me, alright?"  
  
Goku nodded again and gave a thumbs up. Trunks' smiled widened before he flew off, disappearing from sight. The full-blooded Saijin gave a deep sigh as he walked towards his friends, 'Three years? I hope that's enough time..' 


	3. Unexpected Guests

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 2**  
aka **Unexpected Guests**  
  
_Vegeta of Vegeta once ruled them all...  
Vegeta of Vegeta had a great fall...  
No help from the horses...  
No help from the men...  
And Vegeta couldn't put Vegeta together again..._  
  
Again the darkness suddenly turned into light, temporarily blinding him. He blinked away the spots in front of his vision, then was able to confirm that he arrived at the time the androids would be making their debut. Not sensing any ki, he wondered if the fight had yet to begin, or if...it was already over. He hoped it was the first of the two scenarios his mind produced, and hurrying, he put the time machine back into its capsule form, neatly putting it away.  
  
Flying at a reasonable speed to cover a good amount of ground, but to also keep his ki hidden, he made it to the island by South City in a few minutes. Nothing was destroyed, so his hopes about the androids not attacking yet were fueled. Gazing across the landscape, he noticed an aircraft with the Capsule Corp logo upon it on a nearby cliff that overlooked the city. Curious, he flew down to investigate only to find Bulma and Zarbon sitting down across from one another. "Hey. What's going on?" Trunks decided to be brief as he landed.  
  
Bulma turned and exposed the small child that she was cradling in her arms, "The boys are down there."  
  
Trunks' ears heard the answer, though it was nearly muted out by his mind, which was focused on the child in her arms. He had expected to see some sort of baby version of himself. Some small child with light purple hair like his own. Some being that would carry his name. What he did not expect was for Bulma to be holding a baby that seemed to take on a resemblance to Zarbon. A small child with light green hair and pale blue skin. Some being that was half-human half..whatever Zarbon was. Trunks nearly collapsed from surprise as he suddenly realized that this timeline was _much_ different from the one that he knew of. And more confusing than he could ever dream. Bulma glanced at Trunks and quirked an eyebrow, "What's wrong with 'Mystery Man'?"  
  
Trunks shook his head to snap himself out of it, "N-Nothing! I'm fine! I'm going to go look for the others, I suppose. Um...would you happen to maybe know where...Vegeta is?" He really wanted to see more of his father, though it didn't appear that this was the case in this timeline. Here, he had no family.  
  
Zarbon gave a laugh, though he looked rather disgusted, "I think he's back at home nursing a hangover." Trunks felt himself becoming defensive even though he didn't know his father all too well. His mother said not to expect much from him, but he couldn't be that bad, could he...?  
  
"What do you mean..?" Trunks asked cautiously, aiming his question towards Bulma since it seemed that Zarbon was more biased than this past version of his mother.  
  
"Exactly what it means, 'Mystery Man'. Vegeta was up drinking all last night, like he always does. He probably couldn't even tell you his own name if you asked him, so don't expect him to come socializing," Bulma sneered before turning her attention to the squirming baby in her arms.  
  
"I see..." the purple-haired teen replied after a moment of thinking, "..Has he been training?"  
  
Zarbon laughed again, quickly answering, "Only for alcohol tolerance."  
  
The unease in the air made Trunks turn the subject away from Vegeta, "So uh...is that your son?"  
  
Bulma glanced at him and a smile graced her face, "Why, as a matter of fact, yes! I think he's turning out quite nice considering the type of species he's formed from." She paused to wink, then continued, "His name is Keichii, out of honor of one of Zarbon's old friends. Cute little guy, huh?"  
  
Trunks nearly forced a smile to his lips - it wasn't the fact that the kid was ugly or anything (which he wasn't) it was just that, well.._he_ was supposed to be in his place - and he gave a nod, "I'd say he's turning out just fine."  
  
Bulma extended Keichii towards the demi-Saijin, "Do you want to hold him?"  
  
Trunks' eyes widened a bit, "Uh...no. No, thank you."  
  
Bulma smiled and cradled her child again, "Alright. You only need to ask 'Mystery Man'."  
  
Trunks, realizing that revealing his name wouldn't endanger anything, calmly introduced himself, "Trunks. My name is Trunks." Zarbon glanced at him but kept his gaze directed at the city below them.  
  
"Hmm...Trunks. That's an interesting name," Bulma commented, pushing her bangs out of her face.  
  
"What I'd like to know is why couldn't you have told us that before?" the taller man asked, "What exactly are you, or were you, hiding?"  
  
Trunks cleared his throat before replying in a quieter voice, "I really think that's none of your business."  
  
Zarbon seemed shocked by the sudden coldness that radiated off of the teen, but decided to shrug it off, "Alright. Fine. Play 'Mystery Man' forever. New and improved and now with an alias! Trunks the Mystery Man..hmmm..has a very strange ring to it. Don't you think, Bulma?"  
  
She looked up from Keichii and gave a shrug, "I guess."  
  
Suddenly, a figure came over the edge of the cliff and landed on the grass with a sigh. "Hey Yamcha. What are you up to?" Trunks questioned. He mentally kicked himself for being too negligent of his duties, 'You did not come back in time to play Private Detective or Mystery Man, Trunks! You're here to stop the androids!'  
  
The desert bandit put his hands on his hips, resembling a disgruntled postal worker, "Hey Mystery Guy-!"  
  
Bulma cut him off to add in, "Trunks." Yamcha looked over at her because of her rude interruption. "His name is Trunks," the blue-haired lady informed before shrugging off her ex-boyfriend.  
  
"Trunks," Yamcha started again, a little more irritated this time because of Bulma, "There are no androids."  
  
The demi-Saijin fell over from surprise and he stared up at Yamcha from the ground, "W-What!? ..You're _aware_ of the _entire_ situation?? But Goku gave me his word!"  
  
The voice of Earth's hero came from behind Trunks, "Yeah, well. I did keep my promise, Trunks. It was Piccolo who told everyone about the androids coming."  
  
The teen spun around, stumbling to his feet, "Goku?? What do you mean?"  
  
The Namek landed beside the group with his arms folded, "He means I overheard the little conversation you two had. I decided it wasn't fair for only Goku to change his destiny, and so, I decided to share the said information about the androids coming."  
  
Trunks shuffled his feet for a second before he asked, "You didn't tell them anything else, did you...?"  
  
"Don't worry, kid. I'm just sorry mom and dad didn't turn out to be..what you thought they were," Piccolo said coolly, but his expression showed off sympathy towards the demi-Saijin, "Although, if I were you Trunks, I'd do my best to find excuses for some things that may cause some controversy later on in the event if someone really thinks about some certain aspects pertaining to you."  
  
Trunks took the subtle hint and nodded in agreement, 'If anyone questions me on why I can go Super Saijin I better have a damn good excuse considering I'm not even born. I don't need them knowing all the details of my life and another timeline that's so far askew from this one. On the other hand..maybe it wouldn't really matter then?'  
  
Piccolo took a breath and looked outward towards the sea, "Anyways...We finished scouting out the entire island and there is no sign of any androids. What do you have to say to that, Trunks?"  
  
The teenager took a few moments to think, 'This is insane! _What am I_ supposed to say to that!? Everything's out of control and nothing's holding true to my timeline! The best I can do is give them a theory on why the androids haven't shown up and the only thing I can think of is that, perhaps in this time, they aren't ready yet.' Trunks looked across the now anxious group of Z Fighters, with Krillin, Tien, Gohan, and Chao-tzu as the new arrivals, "In all probability. The androids aren't..ready for release yet, as Dr. Gero is a perfectionist, although, I can't really say for sure."  
  
Goku gave a nod as he folded his arms, "You guys might be going a little too hard on Trunks. We're tampering with the timeline, remember? Things will be different. Things are _definitely_ different than they were supposed to be. This isn't exactly a perfect science or a fine art - this is something almost completely out of our control, you know."  
  
Bulma blew her bangs out of her face before she decided to contribute, "Goku's right, guys."  
  
"So what are we supposed to do?" Krillin asked while taking a seat, "Just wait?"  
  
Goku gave a brief nod, "I think that's just about all we can do. So..until then...?"  
  
Trunks suddenly grasped onto Goku's arm to stop him from leaving, "Hey Goku? Can we have a talk again?"  
  
The Saijin gave a nod in response, "Anytime, Trunks." They waved goodbye to the others as they flew off to a more secluded area. After they got far enough away that even Piccolo could not hear them, Goku spoke up, "What's up, Trunks?"  
  
The purple-haired teen glanced over at Goku, "It's just that...it's....This timeline is so _different_ than what happened in mine, Goku. I think it's..way out of control. I'm sorry. I think I might have disrupted everything beyond the point of repair. I think my coming was a bad decision."  
  
Goku abruptly stopped their flight, a look of anger on his face, "Trunks! How can you say that!? You came back to do something good - to save the world! Do you think that this is worse than what has happened in your time? Do you? There might be a chance that the androids are more powerful than us, even with our three years of training, but _damnit_, Trunks! I don't care! I'd rather have the chance to fight them than be killed off by some lame virus! Stop worrying, Trunks. Worrying never helped anything."  
  
Trunks looked down, unsure of what to say, "I..."  
  
Goku sighed and continued, "What matters here is your intentions, Trunks. Your intentions are good and have always been good. What happens now is not your fault. What happens now is beyond anyone's control. The future is _now_."  
  
Trunks looked up at the taller man and gave a small nod, "I just wish..I could do more."  
  
Goku shrugged and gave a smile, "You've done enough, Trunks. Plenty. More than enough. Let us handle things now, ok?"  
  
Trunks gave another nod, a weak smile on his lips, "Thanks, Goku. You're...everything mom said you were."  
  
Goku laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Yeah. That reminds me...I'm sorry about that. I had no idea that Zarbon and Bulma..."  
  
Trunks paled, remembering what had occurred a few minutes before, "Yes...I....don't know what to say. My father....they said...."  
  
Goku's smile faded and he slowly folded his arms, "Yes, well...I haven't seen Vegeta in a long while. I just heard about him recently. I.....I hate to admit that I'm worried..but I can't stop it. You have to understand, Trunks, I usually _never_ worry, but I can't stop this time. ...I know it's bad, I just don't know how bad. I mean, he stopped _training_ for god sakes. I don't know if I can do anything, and if I should even try.. I must sound so stupid..worrying over Vegeta, the man who tried to kill me..." He gave a half-hearted chuckle and his head a shake, "Maybe it's because he's the only Saijin left, but I guess it doesn't really matter..."  
  
Trunks swallowed a lump that had appeared in his throat, "Goku, if it's alright, will you take me to go see him? I want to talk to him. Even though he isn't my father in this timeline, he is still my father."  
  
Goku nodded firmly, "Sure. That won't be a problem." The black-haired man placed his hand on the teen's shoulder while the other hand placed two fingers to his forehead, and after a moment, they were gone. The next thing Trunks knew, they were in front of Capsule Corp. "Look, Trunks," Goku said while withdrawing his hand, "If it's alright, I'm going to go train while we wait for the androids. If you need anything, I'll be out by the forest near my house, ok?" Trunks nodded and watched Goku use his "Instant Transmission" to depart. He stared off into space for a moment before he headed inside, scouting around for his father's form.  
  
He passed the den when he stopped and backed up to look into the room again. The room was dark for the afternoon, and he stepped inside to check it out. There was quite a few beer bottles, as well as beer cans, scattered about on the floor. He moved around the couch to look at the front side, and there was his father - asleep. Trunks frowned, feeling overwhelming sadness overcome him, and he knelt to examine the figure.  
  
Stomach down and half hanging off of the piece of furniture, Vegeta's hand still loosely held onto a large bottle of vodka that had a few drops left in it at best. His tail wasn't moving for once, it just hung over the side of the couch limply. Trunks felt his chest tighten as Vegeta suddenly groaned a bit, his tail twitching before lazily swinging back and forth. He held his breath as Vegeta's eyes slowly, almost forcefully, began to open. Vegeta blinked a few times before he began to stare at Trunks with a tired expression on his face - in truth he felt too comfortable in his position to move at the moment. Trunks, feeling awkward that they were just sitting there not saying anything, decided to speak up, "Hey." Vegeta merely blinked slowly, wiggled his nose for a second, inhaled deeply, and continued to lie there. Trunks sat himself down, folding his legs indian style, "Are you alright?"  
  
Vegeta swallowed before murmuring, "...not so loud..." His voice was quiet, as if Vegeta didn't have much energy at the moment, and he carefully moved himself into a position on his back. He sighed deeply before pulling his arm up, putting the bottle to his lips. He extracted what was left of his vodka before chucking the glass container out of sight - it landed on the carpet somewhere near the window with a heavy thunk. Vegeta rubbed his forehead before searching for another bottle. He felt around on the floor before reaching under the couch. A smile graced his features when he pulled out a bottle of gin. He opened it and immediately began to chug it down, Trunks watching wide-eyed the whole time. He stopped after about a quarter of the bottle was gone and gave a sigh of appreciation. He put the lid back on before stretching his body, his tail puffing out before the hairs slicked back into their normal positions. "Hnnn...what are you doing back so early?" Vegeta questioned, his voice wavering just a bit.  
  
"Uh..." Trunks shrugged slightly, "I came to help fight the androids."  
  
Vegeta's eyebrows raised and he clicked his tongue, "Really? It's been three years? Hm. Well, I'll be damned." A sigh as he leaned into the cushions of the couch, "Who gives a fuck.."  
  
Trunks faltered for words, "So why haven't you been training?"  
  
Vegeta released a bitter laugh before he decided that that was too much noise for his ears and quieted down, "Oh yeah, now _that_ sounds smart! Let's train and train to try to be better than Kakkarot! Pssh..like _that'll_ ever happen. Yeah. Right. Who cares?"  
  
Trunks frowned and leaned back a bit, "So you've....been drinking?"  
  
Vegeta opened his bottle and took a swig before answering, "What's it to you?" His tail lashed a bit to express defensiveness before he added, "You can't have any. I think you're too young anyways according to these stupid Earth laws."  
  
Trunks waved his hands, "No, no...I don't want any anyways."  
  
Vegeta's lips pulled into a tight smirk, "Good." His tail swung back and forth leisurely, and he took another long drink before putting the lid back on again, "Is that all, then?"  
  
Trunks felt a bit confused, "Uh...no...? ..How've..you been?"  
  
Vegeta merely laughed in response. Finally, he decided to put the boy in his place, "Why aren't you fighting the androids?" Maybe the brat would get the message - he isn't welcome.  
  
Trunks looked away for a second, "Because they're..not here yet."  
  
The prince smirked and gave a nod, "Oh. I see. I suppose they'll be here any second, ready to cause Earth's downfall and kill us all off. Stalking around city to city blowing random things up and killing anyone in sight for fun. Laughing maniacally after laying punch after punch after punch into the forms of 'Earth's Special Forces' until their internal organs can't handle it anymore and split and burst causing internal bleeding that can't stop and they choke on their own blood, and even then, they'll toy with the dead bodies some more.  
  
"..I suppose I should be saying my last prayers before they march right in here to kill me for fun, kicking me back and forth until my rib cage breaks and punctures my lungs, leaving me unable to fight, and then they'll use a ki blast to the head and blow my brains across the wall and leave me there looking like some psychotic form of modern art..with the random drops of blood and brain matter painted in a spatter effect that would cause the best interior decorator to be jealous." Trunks sat in shock as his father spoke so casually of all of this. Vegeta's tail stopped, twitched once, paused for a moment, and began to swing again. He blinked and calmly looked at Trunks, "Or do you think Kakkarot can destroy them?"  
  
Trunks searched for words to say after that monologue, "I, uh...I think he can do it." Vegeta tilted his head back, "Oh. Well then. I guess there's no worry."  
  
"Actually, I think you better embrace the idea about becoming modern art," a young man's voice suddenly said. Vegeta and Trunks both turned towards the voice in an instant, their eyes laying upon a man who had shoulder length black hair, light blue eyes, earrings, and quite an interesting outfit. Trunks gasped and backed away in both shock and fear.  
  
Vegeta looked at Trunks in detached interest, 'If the kid killed Freiza and he's afraid, then...' He looked back at the man leaning against the doorway and then he focused behind him where two other people stood - a girl whose form was similar to the man's except she was blond, and another guy who was very tall with a red mohawk, 'These must be the androids.' Vegeta looked back at Trunks and calmly said, "Hey. I think the androids are here." He took a swig of his gin before looking at the intruders again. "You don't want to fight me," he said, "My power level isn't even one million."  
  
The black-haired one looked back at the red-head, "Sixteen, is this true?"  
  
The android looked at the prince for a moment before stating, "It is true, Seventeen. Vegeta's barely over three hundred thousand."  
  
Vegeta took another large gulp from his bottle before he looked at Trunks, "They don't seem so bad."  
  
The demi-Saijin leapt up, his fists clenched, "How can you say that!? They'll _kill_ everyone!"  
  
Vegeta shrugged, stretching again and sitting up, "Oh. Boo hoo. The pathetic earthlings will die. Cry, cry." He stood up and began to walk towards the androids, his posture slouched and his feet dragging. Trunks' eyes nearly popped out of his head, but Vegeta stopped in front of them. He looked down at his bottle of gin, then up at the androids, then at the gin, then at the androids, and then he pushed the bottle into Android Seventeen's hands. "There you go," he said, "Moseltav or whatever, I don't know these stupid Earth languages. Oh, and if you're going to kill me can you wait a minute? I'd really like to eat something before I die." He turned towards Sixteen who was blocking his exit, "Coming through." The big guy side-stepped for Vegeta and everyone watched as the Saijin dragged himself over to the fridge and looked through it. He pulled out a steak and looked over at the androids, "Do you want anything?"  
  
Trunks raced into the room, "Vegeta! What do you think you're doing!?"  
  
The brunette took the steak off of the plate and ripped off a piece. While chewing on it, he replied, "Hey. They're guests, kid. Don't you have any manners?"  
  
Trunks was too stunned by all of this. He sat down, "I-I can't believe you!"  
  
Vegeta swallowed the piece of meat in his mouth and went for another bite, "So..do you guys want anything?"  
  
The girl spoke up, "Sure. I'd like some new clothes."  
  
Seventeen rolled his eyes, "Eighteen!"  
  
She put her hands on her hips, "What?" Vegeta held the steak by his mouth and motioned for them to follow. Trunks tagged along as they went upstairs towards his mother's room.  
  
Vegeta opened the door and took a bite off of his steak, "Here you go, miss. Take whatever you want."  
  
Trunks ripped the steak from Vegeta's hands to get his attention, "Are you completely nuts!? How can you do this!? Don't you care about Bulma!?"  
  
Vegeta snatched his food back and he glared at the purple-haired teen, "No. In fact, I hate her. I'd kill her myself if it wasn't for Zarbon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must tend to my guests."  
  
Trunks stood in the hallway with his mouth open. After a moment he found words again, "You...You _are_ nuts!" He raced down the steps and out of the door.  
  
Vegeta padded over to Eighteen, "Sorry about the kid."  
  
The blond flipped her hair before she continued looking through the drawers in Bulma's dresser, "It's ok."  
  
Vegeta leaned against the wall, taking another bite of his steak, "How about you guys? Anything I can do for you?"  
  
Seventeen put his hands into his pockets, "Not unless you have a car."  
  
Sixteen spoke in his normal monotone, "Goku."  
  
Vegeta looked down in thought, taking another chunk out of the meat before something caught his eyes: car keys on Zarbon's dresser. The full-blooded Saijin gestured over at the keys, "Knock yourself out, Sir Seventeen." He looked up at Sixteen, "Sorry, I can't help you."  
  
***  
  
"GOKU! _GOKUUUU!_" Trunks screamed at the top of his lungs, flying around the forest at Super Saijin speed. Suddenly, the full-blooded Saijin appeared in front of him, and Trunks, startled, nearly ran into him. Catching his breath, he clasped onto the taller man, "The-The androids! They're at Capsule Corp right now!"  
  
Goku's eyes widened in surprise, and he instantly replied, "How's Vegeta!?"  
  
Trunks shook his head, "He's fine. He's...he's talking to them. I don't think they'll attack him, not yet at least. We have to get over there now!"  
  
Goku paused to think about it, "I agree, but the longer we can hold this off, the better. We have the element of surprise so far, and that's good. Were Bulma and Zarbon at Capsule Corp too?"  
  
The demi-Saijin shook his head, "No."  
  
Goku nodded and then took another moment to think things over again, "Ok. I think we should find them. To keep Keichii and Bulma out of this mess."  
  
Trunks agreed, "I think that's a wise idea."  
  
Goku tipped his head back and closed his eyes, concentrating. He placed his hand on Trunks' shoulder, and they faded out.  
  
***  
  
Bulma sighed as they got seated, glad to be off her feet. She opened the menu and browsed the different entrees when suddenly the lady behind them screamed. Bulma shut her eyes, unsure of how to react to more stress.  
  
Suddenly, a familiar voice shouted out, "Opps! Wrong booth! Sorry!" She spun around to see Goku and Trunks next to a lady who sat across from her friends. Goku and Trunks quickly made their exit over to Bulma. "Hey Bulma," Goku greeted with a smile, he turned to Zarbon and gave a nod - who nodded back - and he bent over and said hello to Keichii. Trunks ahemed to get the hero's attention and Goku gave a laugh. "Oh yeah," he said out loud to himself before looking at Bulma again, "We're here to tell you not to go back to Capsule Corp."  
  
Bulma's eyes widened and she slammed the menu down on the table, "WHAT!?"  
  
Goku laughed again, "No! Don't worry! Just until we get the androids out, ok?"  
  
Zarbon looked up at Goku with an eyebrow raised, "The androids are at Capsule Corp?"  
  
Trunks spoke up for the first time since they got there, "Yes. They're..." His mind finished the sentence, '...having a discussion with Vegeta.' He decided to scratch that and bend the truth, "...being distracted by Vegeta at the moment."  
  
Zarbon chuckled a bit, "Oh. And you said he wouldn't be social, honey."  
  
Bulma grit her teeth together, "Shut up, dear." Zarbon smirked and extracted a magazine from his jacket. "Thanks for telling us though, Goku," she said, a smile gracing her face, "I don't think I'd like to go home and die, you know."  
  
Goku laughed again, "Yeah, that would not be cool." He leaned over to the other table he appeared in, "Hey! Once again, sorry about scaring you like that! My mistake!" The Saijin looked back over at his friends, "Okay, I better go now. I've got androids to kill. Later!"  
  
He turned around to put his hand on Trunks' shoulder when Zarbon suddenly yelled, "NO, WAIT!"  
  
Goku looked over his shoulder, "Yeah? What is it?"  
  
Zarbon tugged on Goku's pants to drag him over, "Look at this!"  
  
Bulma leaned over, and able to read upside down, began to recite, "Although not much is known about Dr. Gero, he did mention to us that his laboratory was somewhere within the Northern Mountains, as he likes no interruptions, and peace and quiet to work."  
  
Trunks repeated, "..within the Northern Mountains.."  
  
Goku slammed his fist on the table, accidentally making a large dent, "I have an idea! Trunks! I want you to go back to Capsule Corp and keep those androids distracted for as long as you can! If you have any trouble, get out of there immediately, just don't tell them anything about _anything_!  
  
"Bulma, I want you to get out of any fairly large city, or any city for that matter! Go out into a cabin in the woods but stay away any place that involves the Z Fighters. I want you to stay safe.  
  
"Zarbon, I want you to find the others, and get Gohan last, that way we have everyone rounded up and no one's left behind. After you're together, tell Gohan to contact me. I'll tell him where to meet me, that way I won't have to send a signal and attract the androids' attention. Remember to keep your ki low! We want to stay out of the way as long as possible and have the element of surprise! Oh! And Zarbon?"  
  
The blue-skinned man stood up, ready to start on his mission, "Yes?"  
  
Goku smiled again, "Do you have a mental link with Bulma?"  
  
Zarbon huffed a bit, "I'm no Saijin, but I can sense where she is better than anyone else can."  
  
Goku nodded, "Excellent." He turned to Bulma, "If all goes well, we'll need to find you later. Keep your ki at max." He winked before turning to Trunks, "Go on, Trunks! Remember what I told you!" Trunks nodded frantically, and raced out the door, followed by Zarbon, and then Bulma with Keichii. Goku, left alone, caught a glance at the ladies he frightened earlier. "Hey, are you going to eat that?" he asked as he noticed the one woman appeared to be finished with her meal.  
  
"Uh...n-no.." she stuttered.  
  
"Ah!" he reached over and picked up the half of sandwich she didn't eat, "Thanks!" Taking a bite, he phased out leaving the women completely stunned.  
  
Trunks ran out into the street as Zarbon blasted off - out of sight. Bulma called a cab and was whisked away, leaving Trunks by himself. He examined his coordinates through his watch, trying to get a bearing of which way Capsule Corp was, when all of the sudden, the busy crowd around him began to scream. He turned just in time to see a car smash into him. He began to fall forwards after impact, but he used his ki to push himself up, pull his legs out from under the car, place his hands on the hood, and flip himself over so that he landed in the passenger seat which was thankfully empty. He looked over to see who had hit him and came face to face with one of his nightmares: Android Seventeen.  
  
"Hey kid," the android said, "Sorry about that, I thought you were a human. Should have noticed the hair though." Trunks was stunned, and was pretty sure that Zarbon would be as well if he knew this android was driving his car. The fact of this was not previously known to Trunks, but considering the steering wheel had the name "Zarbon" embroidered into it, there really was no guess who it belonged to. The car sped over a curb, and Seventeen stomped on the gas as he shouted "Get out of the way or die!" in an overly chipper voice. Trunks grabbed onto the steering wheel, but Seventeen pushed him away, "No touchy!" Trunks stared wide eyed as the android gave them both a joy ride from Hell.  
  
Meanwhile, the owner of the car had just arrived at the Kame House and began to explain the situation to the Z Fighters that resided there. "Alright then," Krillin said, standing up, "Let's not waste any time. Let's get Piccolo and Gohan and let's go."  
  
Zarbon nodded in agreement, "Yes. But where's Piccolo?" Everyone looked at each other for a moment.  
  
"Uh," Krillin suggested, "Let's go find Gohan, he'll know where Piccolo is." Zarbon nodded and opened the door, blasting off in the direction of Goku's house with the other warriors behind him. In a few minutes, they landed outside the front door which Krillin knocked on.  
  
Chi-chi opened the door and looked across them, "What are you all doing here?" She was suspicious already and she clutched the door a little too tightly.  
  
Krillin turned to her, "We need to see Gohan!"  
  
The woman's eyebrows instantly narrowed and she took a deep breath before yelling, "Oh no! He just got back! You are _not_ dragging him off to go fight now! He has his studies!"  
  
Zarbon, being the daring one, pushed past her, and headed towards Gohan's room, "Look. Whatever. It's an emergency." He opened the door and stepped inside, ignoring Chi-chi's bitching in his ears. Gohan spun around to see what was up, and the bald monk raced up to the kid.  
  
"Hey buddy, we need to get going," Krillin said, leaning over so that they were at eye level, "The androids are here and your dad needs your help."  
  
Chi-chi screamed at the top of her lungs, her face red with fury, "GOHAN IS NOT GOING TO FIGHT!"  
  
Everyone in the room winced, and Zarbon resisted the urge to slap her. He would have if he did not fear Goku's wrath. He did, however, scream back, "HE'S NOT _GOING_ TO FIGHT! WE NEED HIM FOR A _DIFFERENT_ REASON!"  
  
Chi-chi blinked a few times in surprise and murmured, "He's not going to fight?" She wasn't used to being on the receiving end of a good hollar. All of the fighters in the room nodded affirmative. She sighed and thought about it for a moment, "Alright Gohan, you can go. But if you do any fighting then you'll be grounded young mister!" Everyone thanked Chi-chi profusely.  
  
Zarbon turned to the pre-teen, "We need to find Piccolo. Do you know where he's at?" Gohan nodded as he quickly changed into his fighting clothes.  
  
"Bye mom! I love you!" Gohan called out before they all jumped out of the window and flew off, following Gohan's lead.  
  
Beside a waterfall, Piccolo sat floating in the air with his legs crossed indian style and his fingers interlaced. The rush of the water to his ears sounded like the most serene music on all of Earth, and it lulled him, and cleared his mind of any unwanted distractions. He was close to slipping into a state of complete, relaxed, awareness when a certain, familiar voice called out, "Piccolo!" His eyes snapped open, a bit annoyed to be disturbed, but a bit worried as to why he had to be disturbed. The Namek flew towards the voice of his former pupil and he came upon all the Z Fighters.  
  
He knew instantly, "The androids."  
  
Zarbon turned to Gohan, knowing better than to waste time, "Call your dad, kid." The demi-Saijin nodded and closed his eyes in concentration. He reached out to that fuzziness in the back of his mind, feeling around for a line that connected him to his father.  
  
He found it and called across it, '_Dad! Where are you?_'  
  
Goku's voice seemed to echo back to him, '_Northern Mountains. Tell everyone I found Dr. Gero's lab!_'  
  
Gohan's eyes opened and he excitedly shouted, "Dad found Dr. Gero's lab!" Cheers spread across the group and Goku's voice continued.  
  
'_Ok, Gohan. Here's what we're going to do: I'm going to give you directions on how to get here and I want you to tell them to everybody there. You, Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien are going to join me here at the lab. I want Zarbon to go get Bulma and bring her here. Tell Piccolo to go check on Vegeta and Trunks and to lay low. Got that so far?_'  
  
Gohan turned around so he was facing everyone, "Okay guys, we're going to split up. Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, you're with me. Hold on a sec." He closed his eyes and tipped his head back, '_Daddy? The directions?_'  
  
Goku's voice slowly told him on how to get there so that Gohan could remember it all before adding, '_Don't forget to send Piccolo to Capsule Corp!_' Gohan dropped the link and quickly explained the rest of Goku's plans, and the directions, so that they could be on their way.  
  
Piccolo felt a bit honored that Goku had sent him off to do the most dangerous mission, which meant, Goku had felt that he was such a powerful and skilled warrior that he could handle the androids on his own. Flying low to the ground, he wove in and out of the forest dangerously, not slowing his speed in the slightest. After a little while, he finally came into view of Capsule Corp, which was still intact. 'Well,' Piccolo thought to himself, 'Vegeta is good for something other than making superb martinis.' (Or so it had been rumored.)  
  
He pressed himself against the walls outside, trying to stay out of sight. He searched for ki while simultaneously hiding his own, 'I sense Vegeta and no one else? Is he alone or...? Wait! They're _androids_! In all likelihood we'll be unable to sense their ki because they're not technically living! Shit! This fight will not be fun...' He peeked into a window and didn't see anyone. He carefully opened the front door and stepped inside. His ears twitched and his brain caught up to notice that he heard the muffled sounds of a conversation going on. He stepped silently towards the room from which it was coming from, and his eyes widened in shock from what he saw.  
  
"I wonder when my brother will be back from his car ride," Eighteen sighed, folded her arms, and tapped her fingers against her left arm.  
  
Mrs. Briefs giggled a bit, "Well, boys will be boys. Would you perhaps like some tea? I have some cookies and cake if you'd like that too."  
  
Eighteen seemed to be thinking it over and Vegeta spoke up. "Could you get me another bottle?" he asked with a hint of a slur, passing and empty gin bottle to Bulma's mother.  
  
"Of what, dear?" Mrs. Briefs asked, standing up while taking the bottle from him.  
  
Vegeta just grinned, "Anything." The woman giggled and ran off to complete the task. After returning with a different bottle, and handing it to Vegeta, the Saijin smirked, opened it, and instantly began to chug. Everyone watched as his throat constricted with every gulp, and after every gulp, the liquid - whiskey specifically - sloshed around inside the bottle as the level moved down a bit. Vegeta didn't come up for air - he just kept chugging and chugging - until there was nothing left in the bottle. Thereafter, he released a satisfactory sigh and leaned back into the couch. He cradled the bottle in between his arm and his side and Mrs. Briefs got up again to attend to a whistling tea kettle. Vegeta opened his eyes and made eye contact with Piccolo, "Oh look. The Namek's here."  
  
'Damn you, Vegeta! What do you think you're doing just exposing me like that!?' Piccolo cursed mentally, and decided to go ahead and make an entrance. "What are you doing?" Piccolo asked in a calm tone.  
  
Vegeta scooted over on the couch and patted it, "Come. Sit. Talk."  
  
Piccolo froze in place where he was at, "Uh..no. I'll stand right here. Thanks."  
  
Vegeta shrugged and stretched himself out across the couch, "Suit yourself, Namek. These are androids Eighteen and Sixteen. They're here to cause pain and suffering." Piccolo looked at the male first, probably because he was hard to miss - and noted that he was staring out the window - but he redirected his attention at the young woman who was wearing something vaguely familiar.  
  
"Out of curiosity," Piccolo asked, "is that, by chance, one of Bulma's outfits?"  
  
Eighteen shrugged and took some tea from the returning Mrs. Briefs, "It's mine now."  
  
Piccolo folded his arms and nodded a bit, 'I hope Goku gets here soon.' Just as Eighteen was about to take a sip of her tea, a loud crash was heard outside.  
  
"Damnit!" she cursed, putting her cup down, "Seventeen!" Vegeta's tail wrapped around the empty whiskey bottle and he swung it around in boredom. "What is he up to now?" the blond asked herself while heading for the door, "C'mon Sixteen! Let's go have a look!" The man said nothing, but silently obeyed her command. Piccolo looked over at Vegeta, who looked as though he was falling asleep, and decided to leave him be.  
  
He followed the androids outside where he found the scene before him _slightly_ amusing. Seventeen had crashed into the side of Capsule Corp with Zarbon's car and Trunks was leaning against the wall clutching his chest as if he nearly had a heart attack. "Did you have fun?" Eighteen asked sarcastically while Seventeen examined the damage.  
  
"Oh well," the black-haired android said, giving a shrug, "It wasn't mine."  
  
***  
  
Krillin and Gohan took lead down the hallway that eventually went into Dr. Gero's lab, and noticed the doors up ahead were ajar. "Goku! You in there?" Krillin called out.  
  
"Yeah guys! Come on in!" Goku's voice replied. Happily, the crew ran into the room, but after throwing the doors completely open they all came to a screeching halt. Krillin instantly grabbed Gohan and hid him behind his slightly taller body, as if out of instinct. The entire group stared at the decapitated form of a hideously old man. "What's the matter you guys?" Goku said, and then glanced over his shoulder, "Oh. Don't worry, he was dead when I got here. Don't touch anything, ok?"  
  
Krillin quickly jumped over the body and scurried over to Goku, "No problem." Gohan, Yamcha, and Tien were careful not to come too close to the body as they passed, but they spread out to examine the lab - cautious as to not to disrupt the machinery. Yamcha came across something with a large sheet over it and curiosity got the best of him. He pulled on the fabric to reveal a green-glowing tank.  
  
"H-Hey guys?" Yamcha swallowed before finishing, "I think I found something!" Goku instantly raced over there to see what was up, and the Z Fighters that were present gaped in mixed awe and confusion.  
  
"What is it?" Tien whispered, tilting his head to the side.  
  
"I..I don't know," Yamcha replied, blinking a few times, "It...looks...like a Chernobyl test tube baby."  
  
Gohan stood on his toes to have a better look and mentioned, "It kind of looks like a bug."  
  
Goku gave a nod, "Whatever it is, we're not messing with it. Not right now, understand? We'll wait until Bulma gets here."  
  
Tien casually replied, "Yeah, I'll go for that. Yamcha, will ya cover it again? It's sort of...creepy."  
  
Yamcha put the sheet over it, "Yeah. No problem, man."  
  
They sat around for roughly an hour before Zarbon finally arrived with Bulma. "Sorry it took us so long," the alien apologized with a rough smile.  
  
"We had to change and feed Keichii," Bulma explained, rocking the child gently, "He slept the whole way here like a good boy. Now what can I do for _you_ boys?" She handed Keichii to Zarbon and approached Goku who waved her over.  
  
"Look at this," he said, pointing to a stack of papers on Dr. Gero's desk.  
  
"Wow!" Bulma exclaimed in a quiet voice, to be sure not to wake the baby, "It's the blue prints to the androids! Amazing!"  
  
Goku grinned and gave a nod, "Yeah, that's what I thought. I know this is gonna be tough, but we need to know a weakness and we need to know now."  
  
Bulma's eyes widened and she slowly turned to look at Goku, "You're kidding, right? It would take _weeks_ to decipher this!"  
  
Goku sighed and bit his lip in frustration, "Look, Bulma. I hate to do this, but...Would you shut up and get to work? We need this now. This is life or death. This isn't some game or anything. Lives depend on this. Earth depends on this. You understand, right?"  
  
Bulma was shocked by Goku's sudden mood swing and by the fact that he had just yelled at her, "Y-Yes." She turned her attention to the papers below her and Goku mouthed a "I'm sorry" to Zarbon who just nodded in acknowledgement. "What's this?" Bulma asked out loud, coming across a paper that was different than the others, "This says....Cell..? Cell seems to be....Dr. Gero's ultimate creation. Huh...."  
  
Yamcha leaned over the table and looked at the blue print, "Hey! I bet it's that thing in the tank!"  
  
Goku agreed, "Yes, but let's not touch it right now."  
  
Gohan's voice suddenly shouted out, "Hey! I found something!" He raced over to Bulma and placed some broken parts into her hand.  
  
"It looks like...a smashed controller," she said, blinking a few times.  
  
"It must be for deactivating the androids!" Goku said with a huge smile on his face. Everyone stared.  
  
"Dad, how would you know that?" Gohan asked, his eyebrows knit in confusion.  
  
"Why else would the androids kill him? Think about it..the androids showed up at Capsule Corp and they haven't attacked at _all_, which means that their only function isn't killing, which also means that they only attack when they are _threatened_ or _provoked_. If this is true, then Dr. Gero must have threatened to deactivate them and so they killed him!"  
  
Krillin laughed, and cheered, "Yeah, Goku! I'm sure you're right! Bulma, do you think you can fix that controller?"  
  
Bulma examined the parts for a moment, "Yeah. I think the casing just got busted. No real damage. I'll have it fixed in five minutes." The whole room erupted in applause.  
  
***  
  
"Another piece of cake, dear?" Mrs. Briefs asked the black-haired android.  
  
"Yeah, thanks," he said as she handed him a plate, "This is really good."  
  
The blond-haired woman blushed a little, "Oh, thank you very much, you're really kind." Seventeen and Eighteen were treating themselves to everything Mrs. Briefs offered while Sixteen, after learning that Capsule Corp had a garden, went off to submerge himself in nature. Vegeta had recently finished another bottle of something and was making music with all the empty bottles and furniture around him, and surprisingly, it all sounded rather good as if Vegeta had had a great deal of practice with that sort of thing.  
  
"That's kind of cool," Seventeen said after swallowing a piece of cake, "How did you learn to do that?"  
  
Vegeta chuckled, feeling extremely relaxed, "Oh. When you have as much time as I do...." Seventeen gave a nod as he cut off another piece of cake with his fork, scooped it up, and ate it. Eighteen was enjoying another cup of tea, and as she finished, there was a sudden flicker before an empty space in front of the coffee table suddenly became opaque by two figures.  
  
"Goku!" Eighteen shouted, nudging Seventeen.  
  
"Get Sixteen, Eighteen!" her twin replied, standing up as he shoved the last bit of cake into his mouth and swallowed.  
  
She began to move when Bulma interrupted them, "Not so fast! You're not going anywhere!"  
  
The androids looked at each other and began to laugh, "You? Stop _us_??"  
  
Bulma pulled out the controller, "Say goodnight!" Before they could process what the controller was, Bulma pressed the big red button and the two androids fell into a heap.  
  
Goku patted Bulma on the back, "Good job!"  
  
Bulma looked up at him and smiled before examining the androids, "Hey! Are those my clothes!?" Vegeta laughed so hard he fell off of the couch. "What's so funny!?" Bulma screeched, racing over to the girl to figure out what to do next.  
  
Goku ran over to Vegeta and knelt down beside the prince, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"  
  
"Well.." Vegeta said with a smirk, his tail flipping around. It lost the grip on the bottle it held, causing it to fly across the room and shatter against the wall, which in turn caused Bulma to bitch at him. He interlaced his fingers and put his hands behind his head, "..I'm not a piece of modern art."  
  
Goku looked at him in confusion when Trunks leaned into view, having just returned from using the restroom, and explained, "What he means is....his brains aren't splattered across the wall." Goku's eyes widened and he looked back at Vegeta who just gave him a nod.  
  
"Shit," Goku muttered, "You've been drinking again." It explained the mellow attitude.  
  
"Fuck!" Vegeta suddenly cursed, "I stopped!?"  
  
Piccolo walked into the room, followed by Android Sixteen. Bulma suddenly screamed, "Shit! I forgot about the other one!" Sixteen's eyes locked with Goku's and a strange uncertain smile crossed the Saijin's face. He felt the danger of the situation, but there was something else there, a faint kindred feeling.  
  
"Oh," Vegeta stated, his tail twitching lazily, "I forgot to mention. He's here to kill you specifically, Kakkarot."  
  
Goku inhaled angrily, "No more drinking for you, Vegeta." The brunette chuckled and searched around for something that wasn't empty, his tail digging underneath the couch for his stash.  
  
Sixteen spoke in his normal monotone, "It's true I was programmed to kill you, Goku. But, I don't want to."  
  
The black-haired Saijin paused for a moment before standing up, "Wait... You don't..want to?"  
  
Sixteen gave a nod, "I can contain the urge to do so for now. I see that you have found Dr. Gero's blue prints. It might be possible for you to deactivate us all, reprogram us, and then reactivate us."  
  
Goku instantly smiled at this, "Yes! Bulma, why don't you?"  
  
Trunks began to plead, "But Goku-!"  
  
Goku shook his head roughly to the teen, "Trunks, they can't help it! They're _programmed_ to do this! They'll be fine once we reprogram them, understand?"  
  
The demi-Saijin nodded, "I know...it'll just be...weird."  
  
Goku gave him a reassuring smile, "Hey, it'll be okay. See? Your coming wasn't a bad decision after all!"  
  
Trunks smiled and gave a nod, putting his hands in his pockets, "Yeah. You're right. Thanks, Goku."  
  
The taller man smiled, nodding in reply before looking down at the prince, "And you did a great job with distracting the androids, Vegeta. Thank you."  
  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow before looking elsewhere, "Yeah. Whatever." He dragged himself to his feet and slipped out of the room.  
  
Goku released a deep sigh and thought out loud, "I really worry about him."  
  
  
Thank you Paco for the simple word "martini". Couldn't have done it without you. :P 


	4. R&R

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 3**  
aka **R&R**  
  
Trunks inhaled deeply as he stretched, his whole body tensing before falling limp again. He blinked a few times and smiled contently, 'Wow. I helped save the world.' It made him feel so happy and alive that he accomplished something as major as he did. Reassuring as well, to know that he'd fulfilled a lifetime of hopes. His mentor could rest in peace now.  
  
With a sigh, he gathered himself up from the bed to go downstairs and eat breakfast. He pulled on his pants that he had removed so that he could sleep comfortably, and made his way down the hall. It had to be around ten in the morning, at least. He had slept well, though it was for the first time in a long time. He felt a bit comforted with all these nice, kind, sort-of-familiar people around. Well, not all of them were exactly nice and kind, but they were to him, and that partially counted. He barely knew them in truth, but he felt like he knew them forever. He'd never felt like that before.  
  
The demi-Saijin figured he would leave for the future that evening, so that he'd have plenty of time to exercise his freedom before having to return to his duties. He also missed his mother a great deal, and he wanted to be able to assure her that he was okay. He put his hands in his pockets and strolled down the hallway when something caught his eye.  
  
The door to one of the rooms was cracked open, and Trunks, being a sucker for curiosity, leaned over and took a peek inside. But the room was pitch black, and with a confused expression, he pushed open the door, felt around for the light switch, and flipped it on. A grumble of annoyance came from his father's form on the floor. "Turn off the fucking light," the prince moaned, flimsily pulling his arm up to block the brightness from his eyes. Trunks blinked, noting the room's decor, before obeying the command given. With a sigh, he traveled downstairs to have his morning meal.  
  
It bothered him - that his father was as he was. He knew almost immediately he was an alcoholic, but what he noted was what others failed to notice: Vegeta's blatant depression. He wasn't drinking just to have fun - no - this was one of those drinking to drown out your sorrows sort of thing. The thing that bothered him the most was the fact that no one seemed to care. He sighed as he walked into the kitchen, wondering what exactly he would like to eat. Another thought flashed across his mind, and he replayed a scene in his head, '_Yes, well...I haven't seen Vegeta in a long while. I just heard about him recently. I.....I hate to admit that I'm worried..but I can't stop it. You have to understand, Trunks, I usually **never** worry, but I can't stop this time._'  
  
As he opened the fridge, a smile came to his face, 'At least Goku cares.' Interesting too how Goku said worrying was wasteful, but yet, he worried about the prince. He found a gallon of milk and placed it on the counter. He went for the cabinets nearby - for a bowl and a box of cereal. Even though he had technically just met Goku, he felt fairly close to him, and he knew deep down that the full-blooded Saijin was not the type of person to just ignore others. No - Goku could tell when people were in pain, and it irritated Trunks that no one could see Vegeta's pain other than himself and the taller man, even though Vegeta nearly flaunted the fact. After digging out a spoon, he opened the box of cereal and poured himself a bowl.  
  
While he was putting away the milk and cereal, Bulma entered the room with Keichii in her arms, "Hey there, Trunks." He gave a nod and sat stiffly at the table, quickly shoveling the food into his mouth so he wouldn't have to speak.  
  
Another scene flashed through his mind, '_No. In fact, I hate her. I'd kill her myself if it wasn't for Zarbon. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must tend to my guests._'  
  
He didn't exactly blame Vegeta for feeling that way. This version of his mother didn't seem to be showing him any real compassion or any forgiveness for that matter. Vegeta had faced the androids on his own, had merely treated them as guests in his home, and in return he had bought enough time for the rest of the fighters to figure out a way to stop them. In a way, it was Vegeta who had single-handedly defeated the androids. And he barely had a power level over three hundred thousand. A smile came to his face, 'That's my dad.'  
  
He stood up and placed his bowl in the sink when a sudden set of crashes distracted him. "FUCK!" Vegeta yelled out, "God_damn_...son of a bitch! FUCK!" Trunks raced over to see what the matter was and found the older man at the foot of the stairs.  
  
He knelt down, worry knitted in his brow, "Are you ok??"  
  
Vegeta inhaled deeply, closed his eyes for a moment, let out his breath, and said, "Yeah. I just....nothing." He pushed Trunks away and headed towards the kitchen with swifter strides than he had yesterday, the teen also noting his posture had improved a bit. He kept his distance and watched as Vegeta took a drink of water from the faucet, paused, and then - after making sure Bulma wasn't watching - he took a look at his tail. Trunks' mind suddenly conjured up the image of Vegeta falling down the stairs and landing on the appendage. Assuming a Saijin's tail would be much like an animal's tail, he figured it would be a sensitive area and acute to pain.  
  
He recalled then the contents of Vegeta's room: a heaping collection of empty bottles and cans to various alcoholic beverages, the windows painted black so that no sunlight would shine in, the walls bare except for stains from drinks that Vegeta must've thrown - whether on purpose or accident, the bed lacking covers and a pillow, the carpet dirty and partially burnt as well as speckled with broken glass (mainly near the walls) -- nothing else really, not even a TV.  
  
He looked up at his father, who was intensely examining his tail, and stared at the pale face that had dark circles under the eyes and eyebrows that were scrunched up in an expression of concentration and pain. Yes, the pain was always lurking there - in Vegeta's bitter smirks and dark, unglowing eyes.  
  
Though both Goku and Vegeta had the same black eyes, their auras were completely different. Goku's shined brightly, expressing his enthusiasm, his happiness, and general awareness of life around him. Vegeta's were dark, lusterless, unreflective, and deep like a hole in the ground - so shadowed you weren't sure how far down it went and so you toss a stone down only to hear nothing echo back. Vegeta's eyes expressed the truth, but they often reflected a certain air about him. Some would call it arrogance. Most would call it arrogance. Trunks would call it sarcasm, maybe ever cynicism. What confused the teenager was that their seemed to be no aim to it at all, no particular person or thing he focused it on.  
  
The next thing the demi-Saijin knew he was in the den with the phone in his hands and the other end of the line was ringing. "Hello?" a woman's voice answered.  
  
"Hey," Trunks greeted, "This is Trunks. May I talk to Goku?" Chi-chi sighed to herself and put the phone down, running off to find her husband.  
  
A few moments later Trunks heard the phone being picked up and Goku's voice said, "Hello? Trunks?"  
  
The purple-haired teen held the phone with his shoulder as his hands played with the cord, "Goku? I hate to ask, but...Do you think you can do me a favor?"  
  
Goku laughed for a moment, "Sure! What do you need?"  
  
Trunks took a deep breath, "I want you to take my father out."  
  
There was silence.  
  
"Trunks?" Goku's voice was thoroughly confused, "What do you mean? I don't understand."  
  
Trunks sat down, his hands balling into fists, "Exactly what I said. Take my father out. Take him out of this house and get him away for a little while. He needs to see the light of day, Goku. He needs to...lay off the drinks for a little bit. He needs..."  
  
Goku tried to help him out, "...to have fun?"  
  
Trunks shot up and he began to pace, "Exactly! You need to help him relax and have fun!"  
  
There was another pause before the black-haired man said, "Well....are you sure I'm the guy for the job?"  
  
Trunks gave a brief laugh, "Goku..Trust me on this one."  
  
Goku chuckled a little bit, "Alright, I give in. I'll see what I can do, ok? I'll be over in five!" Trunks heard a click and so he too hung up the phone. He turned around and suddenly Goku appeared in front of him.  
  
"OH GOD!" Trunks screamed, clutching his chest, "Don't _do_ that! And aren't you supposed to have arrived in five minutes?"  
  
Goku laughed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh, sorry. I meant five seconds. So, where is he?" Trunks pointed towards the kitchen and the taller man gave a nod and a victory sign.  
  
Vegeta thumbed over his tail carefully, but gave a sigh of relief a moment later as it seemed nothing was broken, 'I can't believe I did that...I should tone down on the vodka in the morning.' The prince released his tail, confident that it would be alright, 'Who am I kidding? I wouldn't be able to hold back even if I wanted. Peh. Who cares...' A pair of hands were suddenly on his shoulders, causing him to tense up. The simple touch caused him to be paralyzed, his muscles already beginning to cramp.  
  
"Hey Vegeta!" Goku said warmly, leaning over, "Want to go out?"  
  
The prince viciously tore himself from Goku's grasp, "_No._"  
  
Vegeta turned to leave, but Goku just kept following him, "Even though we'd be going out for food?"  
  
Vegeta folded his arms to hide his shaking hands, "Yes. Even though it'd be for food."  
  
The taller Saijin suddenly leapt in front of him and blocked the doorway with his entire body, "Even though _I'd_ be paying?"  
  
Vegeta's tail twitched back and forth, expressing his liking to the idea of free food. His stomach ached, and thanks to the wonders of intoxication, he couldn't remember the last time he'd consumed something nutritious, "Well....I suppose a little Saijin outing wouldn't hurt.." Goku's smile spread into a grin and he slung his arm over Vegeta's shoulder before they disappeared.  
  
Bulma couldn't figure out what was going on. "Am I missing something?" she asked Trunks, leaning back in her chair.  
  
The teen chuckled a bit, "I guess you could say that."  
  
Once the two Saijins reappeared, Vegeta spun around to face the taller man, "What's the meaning of this!?" He threw Goku's arm off of his shoulder and stepped away, out of close proximity.  
  
Goku gave a laugh and bent the truth a bit, also replying to a misinterpreted question, "Hey! The restaurant I want to go to just so happens to be in the mall, so sue me!" Vegeta's eyes narrowed and he looked over the warrior reluctantly, his tail coiled like a snake ready to strike. Finally, it simply wound snuggly around his waist, looking like a belt.  
  
With a deep breath, the brunette relaxed enough to reply, "Alright. Let's go." Goku beamed as they walked through the parking lot and towards one of the entrances. Goku was aware that Vegeta hated this planet, and more so than that, he hated the people on it. So to ensure that Vegeta would have a good time at the mall, he planned on using up a bit of his life savings. Small change, in other words. The taller Saijin seemed to enjoy the atmosphere, while the other despised it. Vegeta kept his gaze locked on the floor, able to avoid people by sensing their ki, if not by seeing them through his peripheral vision. Goku looked over at the prince, who seemed to be having a dreadful time, and found that he couldn't smile like he normally could.  
  
His eyes caught sight of what he had really come to the mall for, and his smile returned, "Oh hey. Is there any store you'd like to stop at?" Vegeta growled a bit, about to answer, when Goku cut him off. "C'mon! Over here!" the black-haired Saijin said, walking briskly ahead.  
  
"Hey! Kakkarot!" Vegeta called out after him, getting angrier by the moment. He cursed colorfully under his breath when Goku didn't respond. He followed the third-class to where ever he was going, and was about to complain about the promised meal when his nose was suddenly overwhelmed by a familiar scent. He spun around and examined the shop in a newfound interest. Goku chuckled to himself as Vegeta began to examine the things around him.  
  
He leaned over and said in a quieter voice, "See something you like? I'll buy it." Vegeta's eyes met Goku's, the prince's bit wider than normal from surprise and uncertainty.  
  
"I..." Vegeta started, but Goku knew that he wanted something, his tail was already showing that by the full swings it performed.  
  
"You want the Cuban ones?" Goku asked, leaning against the counter top carefully so as to not break it. Vegeta looked up at him again, not sure what to say, his tail curling and uncurling in an odd mix of embarrassment and anxiousness. "Consider it done," Goku said before he called the sales clerk over.  
  
As the transaction went underway, the prince suddenly added in, "Cloves too. Both flavors." It was a done deal. Roughly two minutes later, Goku and Vegeta were walking through the mall once again, only this time Vegeta was holding a plastic bag in his hand. He hadn't said anything since the shop, but Goku could feel the emotions swarming around inside of Vegeta. Confusion was the majority of it all right now, but somewhere past all that, there was a whisper of happiness.  
  
Out of seemingly nowhere, Goku asked, "Have you ever been to the beach?"  
  
Vegeta roughly huffed, "Of course I have."  
  
Goku shook his head, "I mean, not just _been_ there, but actually went there, for the day or something."  
  
Vegeta slowly raised an eyebrow at him, "What do you mean?"  
  
Goku shook his head slightly at Vegeta's ignorance. It kind of reminded him of when he was a child here on Earth, unaware and unaccustomed to all the traditions, customs, and such. "On this planet, Vegeta, people will go to the beach to have fun," Goku stated warmly, as he put his hands into his pockets.  
  
"Oh," was all reply the smaller Saijin gave.  
  
"Well," the black-haired man went on, his tone turning slightly mischievous, "I haven't heard any complaints, so we're going!"  
  
Vegeta's tail puffed in shock and he spat out, "What about swim wear!? You honestly don't expect me to swim in this, do you!?" The prince's mind instantly retaliated, 'And what difference would it make? And _why_ am I agreeing to this!?'  
  
Goku rubbed the back of his neck and resisted the urge to grin, "Oh yeah.... Well, we can just go buy some right now! C'mon!" Within five minutes, Goku had found a reasonable department store to shop at and they were sifting through all the swim wear. "No. No. No. No..." Goku muttered as he flipped through the racks, Vegeta merely stood nearby with his arms crossed. "Hey! This would be great for you!" the taller Saijin said with confidence, holding up a pair of swimming trunks that were bright yellow with orange hawaiian floral print. The expression the prince made was priceless and caused Goku to burst out laughing. The taller man declared, "Yep! These are a definite buy!"  
  
Vegeta grit his teeth for a moment as Goku gloated his victory, but he suddenly disturbed Goku's little parade, "Very well then. I will choose your suit for you, as you have chosen mine for me."  
  
Goku's laughter instantly faded off as he realized the situation he put himself into, "Well...alright. It's only fair."  
  
Vegeta snapped back, "Damn straight." He sifted through the seemingly endless supply until he came across what he decided was to be a suitable match for the damage done to him: a bright green pair of swimming trunks decorated with silver polka dots.  
  
Goku burst out laughing as he grabbed the piece of clothing from Vegeta, "Let's pay and get out of here!"  
  
The flight to the beach was silent, but there wasn't a feeling of unease like Goku had usually known for there to be. After landing a fair walk from the shoreline, or from the entrance for that matter, they began to talk again. "Hn. What should I do about these?" Vegeta asked, gesturing towards the bag he held.  
  
Goku gave a shrug, "Get a locker, I suppose." The prince gave a nod.  
  
"Do you think anyone will be upset over my tail?" the shorter Saijin inquired, drawing it up into plain view for emphasis.  
  
"I don't think you should worry about it," Goku said, scouting out the buildings up ahead and looking for the bathroom so they could change, "If anyone bothers you I'll...tell them to..piss off." Vegeta barely contained his laughter from the sudden statement. It didn't seem much like anything Goku would say at all, but even so, would be classic to witness.  
  
He nodded nonetheless, "Just be sure to keep your promise."  
  
Goku turned to him and gave a grin, "Like I said..don't worry." After slipping in between cars for a couple of blocks or so, they finally came across sand. Vegeta fumbled around, not exactly used to the feel of the ground slightly moving beneath his feet - even if the movement was caused by the pressure of his own body.  
  
They entered the combination rest/shower/locker room and the prince merely snatched his chosen swim wear from the taller Saijin and headed towards a stall. Goku, the less bashful one, made a quick change in the locker area, and while waiting for Vegeta, rented out a locker. The brunette approached him as Goku stuffed his clothes into the small space. "Here," Goku said, taking the bag, and the clothing, out of Vegeta's hands and putting it in there with the rest of his belongings. "All done!" the black-haired man proclaimed with joy, "Now we can go!" Vegeta grumbled a bit before following behind Goku, muttering something about not liking the sun.  
  
They made their way out to the shoreline, Vegeta pausing at the edge so that the waves only washed across the bottom of his feet. He looked down to watch the cool, ocean water continually approach and retreat over and over again. Goku bounded into the water until he was deep enough in to swim. Vegeta stood at the shore, watching the idiot splash around. His tail would twitch, pause, twitch the other way, pause, and so on and so on. He really didn't like being out in the sun. That triggered a thought, and caused him to speak up, "Hey Kakkarot! We're not wearing any sun block or whatever."  
  
The taller Saijin came out of the ocean, the water dripping off of battle-hardened muscles, "Oh yeah...um...well, let's just up our ki a tiny bit. We can survive nuclear blasts, I think we can survive the sun's rays for a few hours." A tiny smirk tugged at Vegeta's lips and he slowly kicked a little bit of water onto Goku's shins. Goku turned his head slightly to the side, a mischievious smile forming before he simply backed into the water to go swimming once more. Vegeta shook his head lightly and turned to walk down the beach, pausing occasionally to wiggle his toes, still unsure about the odd sensation he felt when the cool, wet sand met his bare feet.  
  
After a quarter mile walk, he turned inward and found a fairly empty spot in the sand to camp out. He sat down and leaned back, his knees bent with his hands supporting him. His tail flopped around on the warm sand and he looked up at the cloudless blue sky. He released a sigh and gazed at it. He stared out into nothing, simply trying to disconnect himself from the situation. He could pretend he was on another planet of his own accord - could pretend he came alone - could pretend that everyone was gone, that he was the last - could pretend that it would all be over soon...  
  
A figure suddenly blocked his vision and he blinked. In a flash, he was returned to Earth again. He wondered why his relaxation was interrupted, "What?"  
  
Goku had his hands on his hips, "Aren't you going to come swim?"  
  
Vegeta's tail stopped moving as he replied, "No."  
  
The black-haired Saijin knelt down, "Do you want anything to drink?"  
  
The prince collapsed completely onto the ground, and sighed, "Oh god, yes. Scotch." Goku restrained himself from laughing, and put two fingers to his forehead. In approximately three minutes he returned with a bottle of scotch.  
  
"Here," Goku said, extending it to the brunette.  
  
Vegeta sat up and quickly grabbed the bottle from the other Saijin, "Seriously!? No shit!? Damn-" He stopped talking and began drinking as soon as the lid was off. After a few gulps Vegeta pulled back and released a sigh. He stretched and put the scotch up for the moment, feeling very lazy. Goku just chuckled and sat down beside the shorter man. They sat together, neither saying a word, just soaking in the warmth like cats on a windowsill.  
  
A moment later a beach ball bounced off of Goku's head and landed neatly in his lap. A pair of girls ran up to them, identical twins as it seemed, but thankfully they wore different swimming suits to tell them apart.  
  
"Sorry," the one on the left apologized, "Would you mind giving us our ball back?"  
  
Goku smiled warmly and handed it to her, "Sure!"  
  
The one on the right giggled a bit, noting their choices for swimming trunks, "Hey. You're really cute. You wanna play volleyball with us?"  
  
Goku instantly began to blush at the compliment and he rubbed the back of his neck from nervous habit. He chuckled for a moment before saying, "Um..I really don't know. Vegeta? Would you like to play volleyball?"  
  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow, his expression completely full of doubt, "Um...what...is this...volleyball...?"  
  
Goku laughed and tugged on Vegeta's arm lightly, "C'mon! Live a little!"  
  
The prince grabbed his bottle of scotch before he was dragged off, "What!? Hey, Kakkarot!" The girls seemed to be enthusiastic to gain two muscular - not to mention extremely handsome - men on their team. They stopped beside the court, Vegeta pulling himself loose.  
  
"The object of the game is to hit the ball on the ground on the other side of the net. You can do this by bunting, setting, and spiking," Goku quickly ran through his tutorial, giving a demonstration for every move, "You have to stay in bounds. If you hit the ball out of bounds the other team gets it. Simple enough?"  
  
Vegeta seemed quite unsure about the whole idea, "Yeah, I get it. I don't think I like it, but I get it." The girls split up, as well as Goku and Vegeta. The twin with the blue bathing suit took the front with Goku, and the one in red took the back with Vegeta. The other team was composed of similar players - two men, two women, one man and one woman to each row. A bit cautious, Vegeta's tail coiled around his waist and he kept his arms folded. The opposing team started, and the ball kept bouncing back and forth between the teams until it finally came Vegeta's way - however - the prince made no move to hit the ball, and so, it landed in the sand at his feet.  
  
"What are you doing!?" one of the twins yelled out as the other team cheered.  
  
Goku cast him a worried look and Vegeta took a drink of his scotch. He walked a few feet out of bounds, set the bottle down, returned, and proclaimed, "Ok. I think I know how to play this stupid game. Peh. Earthlings are so strange..." The black-haired Saijin nudged the ball over to the opposing side and they served it towards Vegeta. This time though, the prince slapped it straight up so high it became a speck.  
  
Goku scolded him in a hushed voice, "Vegeta! Try to at least play the game normally?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged, "What? This isn't normal for me?"  
  
Goku gave him a look, "You know what I mean." The ball returned to its point of origin, and without looking, Vegeta set it to his fellow Saijin.  
  
Goku caught the ball and Vegeta raised his eyebrows, "Now what?"  
  
Goku shook his head and rolled the ball over to other team, "It's not your fault. I forgot to tell you. You can't hit more than once at a time."  
  
Vegeta grit his teeth, "Yes. That information could've been quite useful beforehand." The other team served again - aiming at Vegeta once more. But before most people realized what happened, the ball was on the other side of the net and a person was on the ground cursing wildly over a stomach injury.  
  
Goku couldn't believe all of this, "Vegeta! Try to restrain yourself a bit, please?"  
  
The prince shrugged innocently, "Oh, well.. You know me, I just can't help myself."  
  
Goku smirked, a thought forming in his head, "Alright. How about this: a volleyball game of just you against me. Hmm? How's that sound?"  
  
Vegeta looked off for a moment, thinking it over, "Alright. But...no turning Super Saijin. No flying. No ki. Got that?"  
  
Goku's smile widened into a grin and he nodded, "Yeah! No problem! Let's get started!" The taller man turned to the others and explained his request, and not-so-reluctantly, everyone agreed to allow them use of the court. Goku turned to the shorter man, "Since there's only one person on each side, we'll make it two hits at a time, ok? That should be plenty." Vegeta merely nodded.  
  
The brunette was allowed to serve first, and Goku retaliated with a spike so fast that most of the spectators that blinked nearly missed it. Vegeta merely spiked it back and this kept each side going for quite a while. Everyone silently watched the furious battle of the two Saijins. The only sounds were that of the beach and the soft smacking sound of skin against leather.  
  
Goku leapt up, intent on winning the game, but Vegeta raced directly up to the net, jumping to knock it back down the second it threatened to pass onto his side. Goku spiked it at an angle so wide and so fast that Vegeta would need to reach farther than he was able to to save it. Thinking he won the game, Goku was rather surprised when Vegeta spun around and the ball somehow landed on the backside of his court. The black-haired Saijin blinked a few times before he noticed something: Vegeta's tail swaying back and forth proudly in the air. "You used your tail!" Goku exclaimed, "That's not fair!"  
  
The prince merely smirked and folded his arms, "Oh? I don't recall anyone saying I _couldn't_."  
  
Goku sighed while shaking his head, his smile returning, "Okay. Alright. You win."  
  
The twins reappeared, cheering on both of the Saijins. "That was the most intense game I ever saw!" the blue one said in astonishment.  
  
"I've never seen anything like it!" the red one added before her eyes began to follow the swing of Vegeta's tail. It couldn't be real, could it? It looked so real, moved so real... This man was like a cat, and she _liked_ cats. Entranced, she reached out for the brown appendage, her hand grabbing it to stop its motions. She wanted a closer examination, to merely pet it - however - the next thing she knew, she was sitting on the ground with a bloody, perhaps broken, nose.  
  
"What the FUCK!?" screamed the blue twin, kneeling to aid her sister.  
  
Vegeta's tail was bound tightly around his waist once more, his words were like venom, "_Nobody...**NOBODY** TOUCHES MY GODDAMN TAIL!!_" The panic in Vegeta began to die down once he was almost certain he wasn't in danger any longer. The anger and rage, on the other hand, stayed fresh and deadly.  
  
"Why do you have to be an asshole about it!?" replied the hysteric red twin, tears spilling down her cheeks, "You didn't have to hit me!" Vegeta gave Goku a look. A look that spoke so loudly, Goku knew he was obligated to take action. They stared at each other for a few moments more before Goku turned to the girl.  
  
"I'm sorry, but you should've asked," Goku said in a calm, nearly monotone voice, "...but if you can't handle common courtesy then you can.......piss off." The last part was spoken rather quickly and rather quietly, but Vegeta heard it as clear as day, and that was all that mattered. Vegeta turned and marched over to the sidelines, making his way through the crowd easily as it parted for him. He picked up his bottle of scotch and turned to go claim his things from the locker.  
  
After Vegeta was out of ear shot, Goku added his own opinion, "I'm sorry about that. I really am. Are you ok?"  
  
"My nose is bleeding! Do I look okay!?" the young woman screamed in his face.  
  
"Look, here's my name and phone number. If you need to see a doctor because of it, don't hesitate to call me. Actually..I'd be surprised if you _didn't_ have to see a doctor... Is there anything I can do for you otherwise?" Goku offered, writing his information down on a scrap piece of paper.  
  
"Yeah!" the blue twin shouted back, "Restrain that brother of yours!"  
  
Goku nearly fell over, "Whaaat?? Vegeta?? Oh no, he's not my brother!"  
  
"Oh? Is that so?" she continued, "Well, I'm sorry, but maybe you have a bad taste in _boyfriends_ then!!"  
  
The Saijin suddenly felt like his face was on fire, "B-Boyfriend!? Vegeta's _not_ my boyfriend!!"  
  
"Yeah, sure," the red twin mocked, "Two hot guys like you alone on the beach? You're either related or gay!"  
  
"Excuse me, but I'm married!" Goku spoke louder than he intended.  
  
"Really? Then where's your wedding ring?" the blue twin wiggled her fingers as a gesture.  
  
Goku looked at his naked ring finger in shock. It was true he shouldn't have been so surprised, but the girl had taken him off guard. At first he'd removed it so he wouldn't lose it in combat, but after returning from Namek he had never put it back on, even in the three years of peace. He clenched his fists together, nearly yelling, "Look! This isn't about me and my sex life!" Goku blushed profusely, "Now if you'd kindly excuse me, ladies, I..I have to go!"  
  
He rushed away from the crowd to catch up with Vegeta. In the trip from the beach to the locker room he tried to gain his bearings. Once he found his companion, he was able to gather the words he wanted to say. "You shouldn't have punched her," Goku said in a stern voice, "You could have killed her."  
  
Vegeta scoffed, his teeth clenching, "Well, I didn't. And she shouldn't have touched my tail." There was an insanely long pause before Vegeta added, "Besides, it wasn't entirely my fault."  
  
Goku turned to him, slowly speaking, "Oh...it's not?" They headed towards their rented locker. Goku opened it and they removed their things.  
  
"No. It's not," Vegeta said as Goku slammed the door to their locker, "I'm a...warrior as you know." He winced inwardly as his mind taunted, 'More like you _used_ to be a warrior.' He blinked hard, pushing himself to continue talking, "And as such it should be known suicide to go for my most vulnerable..part. Do you not agree that it would be, and only is, a natural reaction to attack one that is reaching for your most fragile weakness? That you would not protect yourself from a threat of danger? If you don't then it's sad to say you're hardly a Saijin. You've had a tail before, did you not watch it carefully?" Goku shed off the bright green shorts and threw on his clothes; Vegeta merely held his outfit and stared relentlessly at the younger Saijin's face.  
  
Goku sighed deeply, "I don't disagree with your reasoning behind your actions. I just..wish it could've been avoided. It's okay though, right? I mean...I told them to..piss off...."  
  
Vegeta's lips pulled into a tight smirk and he nodded, "Precisely." Goku raised an eyebrow as he watched the prince head into a stall.  
  
When they were in the air once again, Goku noticed that the tension had returned, although not in full force, it had nonetheless made a come back. 'Well, there goes the day at the beach,' Goku thought to himself, scanning the horizon, 'It's barely past noon...maybe we should get something to eat.' The black-haired man placed his hand on Vegeta's shoulder and the next thing the prince knew he was back in the mall.  
  
"What!?" the brunette shouted, turning towards Goku with fists clenched. He was sick of the surprises already.  
  
"Hey!" Goku said with a smile, "I promised you food, didn't I? Like I said, there's a good place here to eat at..." Vegeta's shoulders slouched and he gave a small nod of approval. Going to a restaurant at one in the afternoon is worth the hour wait from the normal lunchtime - eating at one instead of twelve decreased the waiting time significantly. Goku and Vegeta were seated immediately, a small booth in the back corner of the restaurant. Vegeta seemed to relax a bit because there was distance between him and everyone else. His tail finally uncoiled itself from around his waist and it dangled, the tip curling and twitching in boredom.  
  
The Saijins overlooked the menu, trying to decide what sounded most appealing to them at the moment. "What're you getting?" Goku asked in curiosity, still examining his menu. Vegeta folded his back up and placed it at the edge of the table. He turned his body and leaned back against the wall, one leg resting up on the booth seat, the other bent with his foot on the ground for support.  
  
Vegeta tilted his head back and folded his arms, "Nothing. I'm not hungry right now."  
  
Goku let his menu drop from his hands, and after a pause, he replied, "Hm...okay."  
  
A young lady came to take their orders. "A glass of ice," Vegeta requested when she took out a pad of paper and a pen.  
  
Goku thereafter ordered just about everything they offered at the restaurant before finally stating, "I think that's all...for now." The waitress returned a few minutes later with Vegeta's glass of ice, and once she was far enough away, Vegeta pulled out his bottle of scotch and poured himself a drink. After finishing the bottle, he leaned back and closed his eyes, seemingly dozing off. Goku leaned back in his seat, lacing his fingers and putting his hands behind his head. He overlooked the pale prince with a blank expression even though a surge of emotion was running through him. Even while sleeping, Vegeta's eyebrows were knit together in a scowl, as if he could never be relaxed; but Goku knew better, as he had seen him looking rather calm at other times.  
  
'Yeah, Vegeta looks calm after drinking enough to kill a normal human,' Goku thought to himself, sighing silently. His first plate of food arrived and Vegeta's eyes opened, watching the taller Saijin chow down. A moment later and the waitress returned with four more plates of food. Goku ate rapidly, enjoying his meal, until he noticed he was being watched. He froze with a fork full of food in mid-air, his mouth open and ready to receive it. He blinked a few times before he smiled, "Wanna try it?"  
  
Vegeta's eyebrows raised and his eyes widened a bit, "Uh..no..."  
  
Goku grinned and pushed a plate towards him, "No, go ahead! Try it! It's good!" Vegeta was about to protest but Goku hushed him by pushing his fork into Vegeta's mouth. Glaring at the younger Saijin, Vegeta slowly removed the fork, chewing the food that had been forced into his mouth. He swallowed and seemed to be thinking it over, his tail swinging slowly back and forth.  
  
He cleaned off the plate Goku had shoved his way in less than a minute, and gave his opinion, "Hnn....it's not that bad." The black-haired man smiled warmly and pushed another plate Vegeta's way while he ate off of the last one available. They didn't talk at all while eating, though Goku was thoroughly content with the entire situation. Vegeta, similarly, hadn't realized how desperately he needed food, despite the bouts of feeling light-headed and shaky. He figured it was the booze, but deep down he knew the truth, he was simply too afraid to admit it. After gathering their things, and paying the bill, they left. Goku was happy now that he had eaten, and the restaurant was happy with the business they had made.  
  
'It's still pretty early in the afternoon,' Goku noted as they walked through the mall. A small grin came to the taller man's lips as an idea formed in his mind. He took hold of Vegeta's arm to stop their walking.  
  
"What is it!?" Vegeta hissed at the physical contact, his tail tensed into a straight line. He wondered why Goku didn't get the message.  
  
"This way," the younger motioned, tugging the prince into a different direction.  
  
"What!?" Vegeta stumbled over his feet as he was swiftly turned around, "I don't wish to go into anymore shops!!"  
  
Goku looked over his shoulder and he gave the brunette a mischievous grin, "Ah..well, this isn't a store." Vegeta was about to question him when they walked through some automatic doors and into the large room. The prince's tail lashed around at the sudden temperature difference and he looked around in suspicion and doubt. "Don't worry," Goku assured him with a warm smile as they headed towards a large counter, "This'll be fun. I promise." Escaping the hold he was in, the prince folded his arms and refused to look at Goku, not trusting the larger Saijin at all.  
  
After doing some business, Goku rented out yet another locker and they took a seat on a bench. "I hope I guessed your size right," Goku said as he handed Vegeta a pair of what, to Vegeta, looked like shoes with blades on the bottom of them. They put their items away before putting on their ice skates. Nearly tripping after standing up, Vegeta cast a wary look to Goku. "Stop worrying!" Goku said with a laugh, "I just thought you'd like to try a winter activity since we just did a summer one."  
  
Vegeta carefully walked out to the rink and stepped onto the ice, Goku directly behind him. "Let's not use any ki!" Goku suggested cheerfully, "It'll be more challenging that way. I mean, I've never ice skated before either." Vegeta looked up at the taller man, not giving a response, which was fine because Goku pushed himself out onto the rink. Goku laughed and cheered himself on, "Yeah! Look at me go! Hey, Vegeta! See? It's easy!" He looked over his shoulder to see the prince, but lost his concentration and slipped. As he fell directly on his ass Vegeta burst out laughing at the display.  
  
"Oh yeah, Kakkarot," Vegeta teased, "Easy to make an _ass_ out of yourself as usual." He smirked at his choice of words.  
  
Goku laughed as he slowly got back up again, "Oh yeah? I'd like to see you do any better!"  
  
Vegeta's tail puffed a bit and he growled lightly, "Just watch me!" He swallowed, a bit nervous despite the fact that he shouldn't have really cared. He glanced around at the other people, who were gracefully skating, before pushing himself in Goku's direction, careful to keep himself balanced.  
  
"Hey! You're doing it!" the taller man said happily. Vegeta blinked hard, trying to ignore Goku's encouragements so that he wouldn't mess up. Slowing down, Vegeta lifted his foot to push off for more momentum, but he stumbled. The prince flailed wildly, attempting to regain his lost balance, his tail lashing everywhere to find a position that would help him out, but luckily the brunette's fall was broken by a large pillar. Vegeta blinked a few times as he stared at the orange cotton he knew so well, and then his mind suddenly realized the rather embarrassing position he was in. After falling forward, Goku had caught him, but Vegeta had also clung onto him to ensure he wouldn't fall. His arms were wrapped around the taller Saijin's waist, and his head was pressed against Goku's torso while the other man's arms were holding him close to make sure he wouldn't fall down.  
  
"Whoa! You okay there?" he heard Goku ask, the supporting arms moving to grasp him and pull him up.  
  
"Of course I am, you idiot!" Vegeta snapped back, pushing himself away from Goku's warm body, almost falling backward. Goku went to help him again, but Vegeta batted away his hand. "I don't need your help!!" Vegeta growled loudly, his tail twitching sporadically in panic. Goku's expression slowly fell into one of seriousness and curiosity.  
  
Confused, the taller Saijin thought to himself, 'No way...Vegeta isn't..blushing..is he...??' He forced himself to smile again, "Okay, alright! I'm sorry.. I'll leave you alone..." He turned to skate off, but instantly slipped and fell on his bum again. A smirk threatened to take over Vegeta's lips, but the brunette was able to resist the urge.  
  
"Idiot," Vegeta murmured before attempting to push off once more - this time succeeding. Goku watched Vegeta slowly skate around the rink, seemingly getting used to whole idea. Goku picked himself up and moved towards the railing so he wouldn't be in the way. He turned to see Vegeta becoming more confident in his newfound ability, and with a grin he shoved off in the prince's direction. Fumbling the entire way, he was a bit relieved when he caught up to Vegeta.  
  
"You seem to be adapting well," Goku mentioned, his feet slipping back and forth. Vegeta smirked and pushed on Goku lightly, chuckling as the taller man fumbled around with no rhyme or reason. When he caught himself, he looked up at Vegeta with a playful glare, "Oh, you're going to pay for that."  
  
Vegeta laughed a bit at this one, "Oh really? Well, you're going to have to catch me first." The prince took off towards the opposite end of the rink, leaving Goku by himself.  
  
A grin came to Goku's lips again, 'If Vegeta can do something that's not fair, yet isn't cheating at the same time, so can I...'  
  
Vegeta spun around when he reached the other end of the rink, and looked around to watch Goku attempt to chase after him, but he was a bit surprised to see that Goku was no where in sight. He scanned the entire rink but there was no sign of the taller Saijin.  
  
"Boo!" a voice called out from behind him, warm arms wrapping around him to make sure he didn't get away.  
  
"Kakkarot! You cheater!" Vegeta glared back at the younger man, squirming furiously.  
  
Goku gave a small laugh, "Oh no, I didn't cheat. You see, Instant Transmission doesn't use ki, only concentration." Vegeta would've frowned in defeat if he wasn't trying to get away from the hold he was in. "And now.." Goku said, a large, toothy grin spreading across his face, "..I'm going to make you pay!" With ease Goku lifted Vegeta off of the ice and, now using ki, spun them both around.  
  
Vegeta tried in vain to flee, 'Why do I even bother?'  
  
Goku lightly chuckled in his ear, "Are you ticklish, Vegeta?"  
  
The prince cursed loudly before threatening, "You dare attempt to find out, and I'll be sure to break all your fingers!"  
  
Goku spun a bit faster, taunting, "Oh? A threat? Or is that...a challenge!? I love challenges, Vegeta!"  
  
The brunette fidgeted, "Damnit! I said no such thing of a chall-!" He was cut off by Goku's laughter, who stopped their spinning and dropped them onto the ice. The taller Saijin climbed over Vegeta, one leg on each side of the smaller man's sides, and he knelt down, going to attack Vegeta's stomach with deft fingers.  
  
"Son of a bitch!" Vegeta screamed, his hands reaching out to push Goku away, but the other man was faster and he pinned his wrists together in one hand, leaving the other free to find out how ticklish Vegeta was. "Don't touch me!" Vegeta growled darkly, a simultaneous defensive and offensive sound, "I'm warning you!" Goku paid no attention and heeded no caution; instead, he began to assault Vegeta's sides.  
  
The prince hissed loudly and reacted the only way he knew how, and Goku, who was not expecting an attack, froze in place. A blush instantly spread across Goku's cheeks, and after taking a few breaths, he let go of Vegeta and rolled away. There was silence save for the sound of other people chatting and skates on ice. "Are you...okay..?" Vegeta asked quietly after a minute or so passed, 'Why am I even asking? He deserved it!'  
  
Goku slowly moved up into a sitting position, the blush still on his cheeks, "God, Vegeta..you didn't have to..." The blush deepened a bit and Goku looked down.  
  
"Are you hurt?" Vegeta asked, his voice flat.  
  
"Um..no," Goku blushed even more, if that was possible, "No, no..you didn't hurt me...just....surprised me..."  
  
Vegeta felt his cheeks grow a bit warm, "Oh. Well..pity. I had intended on hurting you." In all actuality, he hadn't _really_ wanted to hurt the other Saijin, just teach him a lesson, but now the entire situation had become embarrassing for the both of them.  
  
"Let's leave..?" Goku asked, slowly climbing to his feet.  
  
"Uh..yeah," Vegeta agreed, feeling highly uncomfortable. They left the rink and headed towards their locker. After they quickly put their shoes back on, they returned the skates and left.  
  
When they reappeared next to Capsule Corp, Goku decided to speak again, "Ah..I wanted to apologize for earlier."  
  
Vegeta seemed very shocked, "What?"  
  
Goku gave a nod, "I uh..should've respected your wishes. Sorry, I won't touch you again, unless you want me to or whatever."  
  
Vegeta looked anywhere except at Goku, "Oh, I see."  
  
Goku's smile began to return, "But at least I know you're ticklish!"  
  
The prince grit his teeth together, "Believe what you want!"  
  
Goku motioned for him to follow, "C'mon. I'll walk you in."  
  
Vegeta clenched his fists as they walked towards the building, "I know the way myself!!"  
  
Goku turned around and walked backwards so that he could look at the elder, "I know. I just wanted to talk to you a bit more. Is that okay?"  
  
Vegeta's tail lashed around nervously, "I suppose."  
  
Goku's smile fully returned, "Good! So I was thinking...maybe you'd like to go out again sometime? I mean, I hardly get out of the house and stuff, so-"  
  
Vegeta's growl interrupted him, "I don't think I'd like to repeat this day, Kakkarot."  
  
The taller Saijin's smile turned into a frown, "Why not? Was it really that bad? Was it something I did or said? Hey, I'm sorry...I had fun! I really did! Hanging out with you, Vegeta, has been the coolest thing I've done since...um...well, I can't even compare! That's why I want to do it again."  
  
The prince slowly met the other's gaze, "You mean that? You had _fun_? With _me_..?" Goku gave a nod, his smile coming back. "I guess..today wasn't _that_ bad," Vegeta admitted, unable to look at Goku while he said it.  
  
"One thing though," Goku said, his cheeks turning a bit red, "If you're going to attack someone with your tail, I'd be more careful how you go about it. If your aim is to have the effect of kneeing someone in the crotch, I'd try to work on putting some more power into your lunge, otherwise it just..." Goku laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck, "But don't worry, I won't tell anyone!"  
  
Vegeta was nearly shaking because of embarrassment, "Yeah, damn right you won't tell anyone. And do expect the next time to hurt."  
  
Goku, not watching where he was going, walked into the wall, "Ah..well, I'll call you!" And then, Goku disappeared.  
  
Vegeta opened the door and stepped inside, cursing softly under his breath. "Vegeta? Is that you?" Trunks' voice asked from one of the adjacent rooms.  
  
"What's it to you?" the prince replied as he headed for his room.  
  
The demi-Saijin walked into the hallway and stopped Vegeta in his tracks, "Oh...well, I'm going tonight, I just wanted you to know." Vegeta shrugged and tried to pass the purple-haired teen, but Trunks' words stopped him, "How was your day with Goku?"  
  
The prince slowly turned around, his tail twitching in an odd manner, "It was..interesting to say the least."  
  
Trunks smiled and turned to let his father pass, "That's good to hear. It was nice seeing you, but I really ought to be getting back. My mom is probably worried sick... If all goes well though, I'll be returning soon. So, I'll see ya!" Vegeta, for some reason unknown to him, gave a small wave over the shoulder before passing into his room, the door closing behind him. Trunks sighed and gave a smile, 'It was good to know you had at least one day out, father...' 


	5. Exposition of a Fallen Prince

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 4**  
aka **Exposition of a Fallen Prince**  
  
_Round and round the Planet Earth  
Goku took Vegeta  
Goku thought 'twas all in fun...  
But not to Vegeta_  
  
It had nearly become routine. Every couple days or so, Goku would call Capsule Corp looking for Vegeta, and every time he spoke with him, he somehow managed to convince the prince that it would be a good idea to go out and do something - anything. So, for a "few" months running, Vegeta had been exposed to a great deal of culture, and though he'd never admit it outright, he was having just a little bit of fun. Goku had taken him to a variety of places: the zoo, the movies, the arcade, the museum, even the ballpark. And if Vegeta hadn't enjoyed the certain place they had went to, he had at least enjoyed Goku's company and constant antics.  
  
With the schedule they had built, Vegeta had learned not to stay up exceedingly late or sleep in too long, and so, he lied on the floor of his room in a half-conscious state waiting for the phone to ring. His tail flopped around aimlessly, expressing how comfortable and content he was at the moment. His rest was interrupted by a phone call however, and willing himself, he reached around in the direction of the ringing until his hand came upon the receiver.  
  
"Hn?" was his greeting, as he didn't bother to move or open his eyes.  
  
"Hey Vegeta," Goku warmly replied from the other end, "How're ya feeling?"  
  
Vegeta's tail wandered around, looking for a bottle that wasn't empty and he repeated, "Hn."  
  
A chuckle came from the other end of the line, "Tired?"  
  
Vegeta, a bit frustrated that he had nothing around, threw one of the empty bottles at the wall. It broke with a loud crash and the brunette said, "Uhn hn." He licked his lips, forced himself to move, and spoke in a rather quiet voice, "..Tired."  
  
Another chuckle came from Goku, "Well, breakfast is on me if you can manage to get up."  
  
Vegeta inhaled and gave a large, silent yawn as he stretched out like a cat, his tail puffing a few times before the prince opened his eyes, "Ah...alright. I'm up." He hung up the phone and lounged, waiting a few seconds before he could sense Goku in his room.  
  
"Honestly Vegeta, I don't understand why you like it dark all the time," Goku said, stumbling around while looking for the light switch.  
  
He flipped on the light and Vegeta covered his eyes with his arm. "And I cannot understand why you like it so damn bright," Vegeta murmured, wondering if he should fight the urge to get up or not.  
  
"C'mon! I want to eat breakfast while they're still serving it!" Goku whined playfully, nudging Vegeta's form with his foot.  
  
The prince growled lowly in his throat, "Screw it...if you want to go that bad, carry me."  
  
Goku laughed for a moment before replying, "Okay!" Vegeta's eyes opened in surprise, and before he could move, Goku's arms were around him, cradling him with one arm under his knees, and the other around his back. The brunette muttered some complaints, but, being as lazy as he was, he just gave in and rested against the younger man.  
  
"Remind me to kick your ass later for this," Vegeta said, his voice nearly a whisper as he began to doze off.  
  
"Sure," Goku said with a smile, transmitting them out.  
  
They reappeared on the backside of a restaurant. A loud gasp caused Goku to turn around, and there was some kid hauling a bag of trash into a dumpster. "Hi!" Goku greeted him enthusiastically, "Sorry if I scared you!" The young teenager rubbed his eyes, took a few steps back, and then made a mad dash into the back door of the restaurant. Shaking his head slightly, the taller Saijin refocused his attention onto the prince. "Do you want me to carry you in as well?" Goku teased, pausing to inhale some fresh air.  
  
"Hn," Vegeta said in response, making no effort to move. He was probably still unconscious.  
  
Goku chuckled as he walked around the building and into the front entrance, getting quite a large amount of stares and strange looks. The hostess was no exception, "Ah...er...how many?"  
  
Goku smiled warmly at her, "Two."  
  
She gave a quick nod, "Smoking or Non-smoking?"  
  
Goku took a glance down at the brunette and said, "Smoking."  
  
The young woman escorted them to a booth and set down two menus on the table for them, "Er...your waiter will be here momentarily."  
  
Goku gave her a nod, "Alright, thanks." Once the hostess went off, Goku carefully set Vegeta down in the booth. With that accomplished he sat down on the opposite side, quietly drumming his fingers on the table as he waited, blissfully ignoring the stares he was still receiving. He looked out the window at the morning sun and the birds chirping in some nearby trees, 'I'm such a sucker for nature stuff. It's amazing no one's called me a hippie yet.' Goku smiled at the thought and looked over at the other side of the booth, even though he couldn't see Vegeta. The prince was lying prone with his legs dangling over the edge of the seat. After a few moments though, Vegeta's fuzzy tail came over the side of the table, feeling around for something.  
  
"Hey Vegeta," Goku called out, sitting up in his seat so he could see half of the prince's face.  
  
"Hn?" was the only reply he got.  
  
"You're not at home," Goku finished before sitting himself down again.  
  
There was a pause, and then the shorter Saijin said, "Oh." Goku reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pack. He tossed it carelessly towards Vegeta, causing it to slide across the table and fall onto the brunette's chest. "Hmm?" Vegeta grunted, lifting the pack up and forcing his eyes open to examine what had landed on him. "Morley's...?" the smaller man seem confused.  
  
"For you," Goku said with a chuckle, delighted when he finally saw what looked like a waiter coming his way.  
  
"Hi," the young man greeted, "I'm Brian and I'll be your waiter. This morning's special is Belgium waffles. Can I get you anything to drink?"  
  
Goku beamed as Brian took out a pad of paper and a pencil, "Yeah! Sure! I'll need a pitcher of orange juice, two pitchers of water, and a cup of coffee. Go ahead and mark us down for six of the specials, okay?"  
  
Brian seemed a bit nervous, as if he had been taken off guard, "Yeah, sure."  
  
Vegeta slowly pulled himself up into a sitting position, "Why did you order a cup of coffee? I thought you hated coffee."  
  
Goku, bored, played with a complimentary toothpick that had been laid out on the table, "I do. But as far as I remember, you don't. That is, when you have it with a square."  
  
Vegeta blinked a few times before he nearly shouted, "A what? A _square_?? What the hell is a _square_!?" Goku burst out laughing and waved his hands to tell Vegeta to calm down.  
  
"Geez, Vegeta!" Goku paused, snickering at the thought of what he was about to say, "You really aren't _hip with the lingo_ around here, are you?" Vegeta fiercely ripped the plastic wrapping off of his pack of cigarettes, all the while simply glaring at the younger Saijin. Goku began to laugh and couldn't stop, even when Brian delivered their drinks. Vegeta tried his best to ignore the laughter, and took a sip of his coffee. He went to light his cigarette and found that he had no matches or lighter on him. A man behind him was smoking and reading a newspaper, just minding his own business.  
  
"Hey," Vegeta tapped the man on the shoulder, still ignoring Goku who was nearly falling over.  
  
The man shot him a wary look, "Y..eees?"  
  
Vegeta gave a gesture, "Could I borrow your lighter?" Goku didn't seem able to stop and tears were coming to his eyes. The guy fumbled to give Vegeta his lighter as fast as he could. Vegeta turned around for a moment to holler, "For god sakes, Kakkarot! It wasn't that funny!!" All eyes turned to them at that moment, though neither Saijin seemed to notice.  
  
Goku wiped away his tears, "But Vegeta--! _Hip with the lingo_? .._**Square**_??" He started laughing again, even harder than before.  
  
Vegeta glared and turned around again, taking the lighter that the other man was offering. He lit up and handed the object back, "Ah. Much appreciated." And still ignoring Goku, Vegeta sat calmly, sipping some coffee and smoking his cigarette. After a few minutes, Goku seemed to have calmed down and he looked over at Vegeta.  
  
"My cheeks hurt," Goku admitted with a chuckle, "Vegeta, you make my cheeks hurt." The prince grit his teeth before accidentally inhaling the rest of his cigarette. Luckily though, Brian was arriving with the first set of plates.  
  
"What's this?" the brunette asked as a plate was set before him, "I didn't order anything."  
  
Goku shrugged lightly, "Yeah. You were still out of it so I took the liberty of ordering for you."  
  
Vegeta said nothing, merely picking up a fork and digging in. After the plate was clean, which was very soon, Vegeta declared, "Well, since you ordered it, you can pay for it."  
  
Goku grinned over at the prince, pouring them both refills, "Of course."  
  
After staying a few hours, and driving the cooks to their limits, Goku finally declared, "I'm full!" He rubbed his stomach and gave a sigh, "That was really good! Don't you think, Vegeta?"  
  
The prince gave a small yawn, covering his mouth with a hand, "Yeah, whatever." Suddenly a figure stood next to the table, and both Saijins looked up.  
  
"Trunks!!" Goku shouted with joy, standing to give the teenager a quick hug, "How are you? Was your trip ok? How's your mom? C'mon, sit down!" Goku scooted over and made room for the purple-haired man.  
  
Chuckling, Trunks sat down next to Goku, "I'm fine, I'm fine..The trip went well, and mom's doing alright. Actually, though..I'm not supposed to be here right now."  
  
Goku's eyes widened in shock, "Why not??"  
  
Trunks pushed his bangs out of his face nervously, "Well, you see...I told mom what happened and well.." Trunks looked up at Vegeta and then over to Goku, "Could we talk about this in private?"  
  
Vegeta scoffed and angrily pulled himself up, "I'll just save you the trouble. I have to go to the restroom anyway." Trunks and Goku watched Vegeta storm off towards the back of the restaurant, his tail lashing back and forth in wide swings.  
  
"I think I upset him," Trunks said with a frown, feeling a bit guilty.  
  
"Don't worry about it," Goku assured, placing a hand on Trunks' shoulder momentarily, "Now what were you going to tell me?"  
  
Trunks looked down and twined his fingers together in his lap, "Well..I told mom what happened when I was here. She got pretty upset, not angry, but you know..upset. So she took a look at the time machine and found a small bug in it. She fixed it and sent me back to the 'real' past. When I returned to the future, I was so bored and..and really lonely...I reprogrammed the time machine to the way it was before mom 'fixed' it and, well..here I am."  
  
Goku sat back in his seat, a grin on his lips, "Ah..you little troublemaker.... Hey Trunks? What do you mean the 'real' past? And what's the 'real' past like?"  
  
The demi-Saijin looked up at the taller man, a half-smile appearing on his features, "The 'real' past is the past of my timeline. This time is a parallel timeline, similar, but not the one that branches from mine. And it was...interesting, I guess. My mom seemed a lot nicer then, and Zarbon wasn't around, so my mom was still with Yamcha. Dad...was...something else. I hate to admit, but I really like this 'version' better."  
  
Goku's eyes sparked at the mention of another Vegeta, "Wow..really? What exactly was he like?"  
  
Trunks shrugged a bit, his gaze falling once again, "Really bold. Almost arrogant, even. I wasn't able to see him that long, as I was just warning the other you about the androids, but I can tell you..he has tons of pride. Quite a lone wolf, I'd say. And a lot more powerful, that's for sure. Not as nice as this Vegeta."  
  
Goku looked up at the ceiling, trying to imagine it all, "Huh, who would've known....Um, what about me, Trunks? What was I like?"  
  
Trunks grinned and relaxed a bit, "You? Man, Goku..you were just the same." The full-blooded Saijin had to laugh about that. A few seconds later, Vegeta returned, but he was not alone. One of the employees was yelling at him about something. As they reached the table, Goku decided to listen in.  
  
"There's absolutely no smoking in the bathroom!" a large man in his early thirties informed, "I'm going to have to fine you!"  
  
Vegeta, still with his cigarette in his mouth, turned around. He paused, removed his cigarette, and blew smoke out into the air, "Well, you know what? That's great. Fine me. I really mean it. Fine me. I dare you. Just try it. There's nothing you can take away from me. I don't have a birth certificate, a social security number, a driver's license or anything. I'm not from this pathetic planet-" He thrust up his tail into the man's face, "-as you can see. So just do your worst. I dare you. Go on. I _dare_ you."  
  
The man blinked a few times in surprise as the brown tail wagged in the air in front of him, and then he took a few steps back. "I could very easily destroy you all," the prince informed with a dark smirk, cigarette dangling from his lips. The man ran off towards the back of the building in an instant, most likely to call the police. Sighing, Vegeta looked down at Goku and Trunks, "I hope you're finished discussing whatever the Hell I couldn't hear, because I'm getting the fuck out of here, now." He turned and began to walk off as Trunks scrambled out of his seat, Goku in tow.  
  
When they were outside in the parking lot, Trunks attempted conversation with his father. "Hey, I'm sorry about this private stuff," Trunks said solemnly, "but I don't think you really want to hear about my family life anyway."  
  
Vegeta was finishing off his cigarette, "Oh? Is that so? Well then, tell me, how was your mom?"  
  
Trunks blinked a few times, completely shocked, "Wh-What?"  
  
Vegeta inhaled deeply before turning his head to the side and exhaling the smoke. He turned back to Trunks, "You heard me. How's you mom? Your dad? Brothers? Sisters?" Goku stood nearby, watching in mute fascination.  
  
"Uh.." Trunks decided he wouldn't exactly lie about this, "Mom was good. Happy to see me again..My dad..well, my dad died, when I was little. I never knew him. I don't have any brothers or sisters."  
  
Vegeta looked off for a moment, taking another large puff, "Sounds kinda like me."  
  
Trunks couldn't believe his ears, "What?"  
  
Vegeta growled, nearly shouting, "I _said_..Sounds kind of like me!" Trunks shuffled his feet and put his hands in his pockets, feeling nervous and guilty for upsetting his father again. Vegeta dropped the remains of his cigarette and put it out by stepping on it with the heel of his shoe. "I was the only child in my family," Vegeta explained, still looking off, he himself seeming quite distant, "My mother died after giving birth to me, and my father was killed by Frieza when I was still a boy. I had no siblings." There was silence for a moment, each of them wrapped up in their own thoughts. "But hey.. that's life," the prince stated bitterly, turning around to face Goku, "Now where are we going?"  
  
Goku seemed to snap out of his trance when Vegeta looked at him, "Ah...I suppose I'm taking you back. Chi-chi wanted me home for lunch. She's been complaining that I've been going out too much. Oh well...I suppose I'll have to resort to sneaking out, eh, Trunks?"  
  
The demi-Saijin grinned a little and gave a nod, "Yeah. ...Is it alright if I go back with you guys?"  
  
Goku put one hand on Vegeta's shoulder, the other on Trunks', "Of course you can come with!" They blinked out. Reappearing in the den, Goku removed his hands and put them by his side. "So Trunks, are you going to be staying for awhile?" the taller Saijin tried to make the atmosphere a bit lighter.  
  
"Yeah, I'm going to try," the younger man said, a grin threatening to take over his expression, "You know..to watch over those androids to make sure they don't pull anything." Trunks gave Goku a wink, chuckling.  
  
"Alright then," Goku responded with a smile, he then turned to Vegeta, "I'll call you when I'm free, ok? I gotta run now, take it easy!" He waved with one hand as the other put two fingers to his forehead.  
  
"Later, Goku!" Trunks said, waving back. Vegeta gave a nod of recognition before Goku vanished.  
  
A few seconds later Bulma walked into the room, "Did I hear Goku or am I imagining things?"  
  
Trunks stepped towards her, "Yeah, Goku was just here, but he left. He had to go back home."  
  
The alternate version of his mother gave a sigh, "Oh good. Zarbon and I were in the other room wrapping his presents and I didn't want him to see what we got him!"  
  
Trunks blinked a few times, confused, "His presents? What's going on? Something special..?"  
  
Bulma smiled warmly at him, "I guess I forgot to tell you this morning, Trunks. Today's Goku's birthday! We're throwing him a surprise party at Master Roshi's at seven. Would you like to come along?"  
  
The demi-Saijin beamed with excitement, "Would I ever! Oh, but I don't have a present to give him...When are you leaving? I want to run out and get him something before we go!"  
  
Bulma motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen, "It's only twelve now, but we have to be at Master Roshi's at five to make sure to get all the decorations and such in order." Trunks gave an understanding nod, looking over at Zarbon who was trying to stop Keichii from pulling off all the bows on the presents.  
  
"Okay then, I'm going to be off. I'll be back around four!" Trunks stated, bounding for the door when he stopped short in the hallway. He backed up and entered the den where Vegeta stood, gazing out the window, not blinking. "Hey, Vegeta...?" Trunks called out, leaning against the doorframe and tilting his head to the side. His father's head snapped in his direction, a scowl on his face like usual. He said nothing in response to Trunks' greeting, his lips pulled into a tight, curt frown. Trunks ahemed quietly, walking towards Vegeta until he was about halfway across the den, "I'm going out to look for a birthday present for Goku. Would you like to come with?"  
  
The prince's lips curled as he released a snarl, "Why would I _want_ to? Utterly pointless. I have no money for one thing. Even if I did, and I was able to purchase something, _when_ would I be able to give it to him?"  
  
Trunks' eyebrows furrowed together and he shifted his weight, "I don't know exactly what you mean.."  
  
Vegeta scoffed, folding his arms, his fists clenching, "I guess you wouldn't. I'll make it clear for you: They. Don't. Want. Me. There. Understand?"  
  
Trunks took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before saying, "Well, who cares what they want. This is Goku's birthday so I doubt they're going to say anything about it. I'm sure Goku would want you to be there anyways, so I think it's alright if you go to the party." Vegeta briskly walked by Trunks, mumbling a "whatever" before he headed towards the back door in a fury. Trunks sighed and decided to let him go, 'He needs some time to think about what I said. I don't want to pressure him into coming.'  
  
The prince stormed out of the back of the building, careful not to slam the door even though he was angry enough to destroy something. Normally he turned to his drinks, but now.. Now was one of those times when, in the past, he would volunteer himself for a purging mission. He did this particularly on some days when he couldn't ignore the growl of his stomach as well. He wanted to take his fists and just beat the living fuck out of something. Pure, raw rage. In response to what? A blistering rejection from an unseen force, there simply to delight in torturing him. He wanted to twine his hands around something's neck and just _squeeze_. He wanted to train under intense gravity, like Kakkarot, until he'd tear his muscles apart. He wanted to breathe smoke.  
  
He walked through the garden that Bulma's mother tended, and by some weird stroke of luck (or misfortune), the lady was there looking after some flowers at the moment. She had heard someone come outside and she turned to see who it was, "Oh! Hello, Vegeta! How're you doing?"  
  
The Saijin stopped in his tracks and gave her a grim smile, "Hnn." He tried to sound as irritated as possible.  
  
"I'm sorry, dear," the blond said, looking sympathetic, "At least you're still as handsome as ever!"  
  
The prince's whole body tensed at the comment, and he cracked a very nervous smile, 'Why does she say that?' Even though the woman was Bulma's mother, he didn't doubt that whenever she spoke, she only spoke the truth. Dishonesty for his woman wasn't possible, she was just too good-natured. "I suppose," he said, looking elsewhere, trying to force his cheeks to stop flushing. Compliments were a rarity for Vegeta, and it made him very skeptical to receive one. He recalled all the times Freiza would compliment him and a shiver ran up his spine.  
  
"Would you like to help me?" Bulma's mother asked innocently.  
  
If it was anyone else Vegeta would have sworn he would've just blown up the entire garden right then and there, but instead he shook his head, "Botany doesn't interest me. Now, if you'll excuse me..." He didn't give her time to reply, merely heading towards the back of the garden where there was plenty of wide open space. The blond watched him stalk off for a moment before she went back to tending her flowers.  
  
The brunette stopped and stared out at the horizon for a few minutes. The short conversation had managed to shift his mood almost entirely into a different spectrum. Now he wished for a bit of Jack Daniel's to wash away the remnants of his broken dreams, but he lacked the motivation to return to the house.  
  
Instead, he peeled off his stained shirt he had been wearing for the past three days. He never cared about hygene anymore. He bent over forward, placing his palms firmly against the ground, and with excruciating slowness, he pulled his body into a handstand. He gazed across the landscape upside down, finding comfort in the disorientation. His eyes fluttered closed and he breathed deeply, the earthy smell a bit relaxing. He opened his eyes again, looking into the vastness of the empty blue sky. It reminded him of the ocean in a way. Deep, blue, consuming. His mind began to ease as it started to wander about aimlessly, filling his head with faint memories and half-constructed ideas.  
  
He smiled lightly as he imagined gravity doing a 360. How wondrous it would feel, to fall _away_ from the earth and _into_ that deep, blue sky. To glide through the air and eventually fall into space.. He stared for a few more moments before he let himself collapse. As his back slammed against the ground, the minute pain almost seemed to wake him up. It probably wasn't best to dillude himself.  
  
He sighed roughly, his eyebrows knit in frustration. Space held a lot of bad memories. It was a rival to these Earth memories now. Space reminded him of things like Freiza taking him away. Like the end of his planet. Like the end of his people. Everyone gone, except for Kakkarot. 'Maybe I will go to that stupid party,' Vegeta mused to himself, 'I should repay Kakkarot for wasting all that money on me.' He picked himself up and grabbed his shirt before walking towards the back door, 'I can't believe I'm going to do this.'  
  
He avoided Zarbon and Bulma easily enough, and when he entered his room be began his search. Glancing around, he couldn't see any shirts lying about, and he didn't want to wear the one he was holding again. Growling softly, he tossed the piece of clothing into the corner and zig-zagged his way through the mess of his room until he reached his unused bed. Crouching down, he felt underneath the piece of furniture. He pulled out a handful of empty bottles and he merely tossed them over his shoulder, not distracted in the least when they all gave a loud shattering sound, the shards raining down on the carpet.  
  
'What the?' he asked himself when he felt a box shape. Curious, he pulled the object out to look at it. He recognized it instantly: the box of cigars Goku had bought for him the first time they went out. He hadn't smoked any of them, though he wasn't exactly sure why - they were excellent quality, top of the line. His hand rested on top of the box for a moment as he remembered that day, his tail twitching with uncertainty.  
  
Snapping out of his trance-like state, Vegeta tossed the box on top of the bed before resuming his search. Finally, the prince felt fabric and a small smirk appeared on his face. He pulled the material out and gave it a look over. It was plain white with no stains, and from the smell of it, it was in good condition. With a strange sense of achievement, Vegeta slipped the shirt on, thinking, 'Time for a nap.' He looked down at his floor, at the small circle of carpeting that wasn't being occupied by glass bottles or aluminum cans. He then looked up at his empty bed save for that of the box of cigars he had placed upon it. Shrugging, he crawled onto the bed, stretching out lazily as he prepared himself for sleep.  
  
Staring at the ceiling, he felt the box next to him nagging at the corners of his mind. Finally, he rolled over onto his side and opened it, inhaling the fresh scent of tobacco. Inside he had placed the small packs of cloves, and almost daring himself, he removed the cherry one and decided to try them. Carefully setting the box aside, he tore off the plastic wrapping of his "squares" and searched for a lighter. He had one in his right pocket. He lit and inhaled, surprised at the result. It _did_ taste like cherry, but there was a less familiar flavor mixed in since he was used to cigarettes. It was like eating flavored wood, but it was very relaxing. His tail thumped the bed quietly in his approval. His eyes drooped, and before he realized it, he was practically exhaling through the clove too, so he found the nearest bottle and dropped the butt into it. His head hit the pillow, and a blissfully blank sleep overtook him.  
  
He awoke to someone nudging him and calling his name, "Vegeta. Vegeta... Vegeta..? Hey..Vegeta, wake up..." The prince mumbled something that was probably a string of curse words, and shifted his position. He spread himself out eagle style as he stretched, yawning silently. He blinked and looked up to see who it was who bothered him.  
  
"Trunks..?" he asked, blinking a few times to clear his vision as he sat up.  
  
"Yeah, I just wanted you to know that I'm leaving now and if you want to come to the party it starts at seven," the demi-Saijin said in a soft, non-offensive tone.  
  
Vegeta shrugged, drawing his knees up and wrapping his arms loosely around them, "I'll think about it, kid."  
  
Trunks nodded and began to carefully make his way out of the room, "Alright then, I hope to see you later." The teen quietly shut the door behind him as he left. Vegeta stared blankly at the wall.  
  
***  
  
"Hey everybody!" Bulma called out as she opened the screen door with one hand while the other balanced some presents.  
  
"Oh, hi Bulma!" Krillin stood up and walked over to her, "Need any help?"  
  
She paused to think about it, "No, I think we'll be cool. Zarbon can handle it. Where do the presents go?"  
  
Krillin guided her towards the kitchen, "On the table with the rest would be great."  
  
Zarbon entered a moment later, Keichii was in his arms crying, "Bulma! I think he's hungry."  
  
Bulma set the presents down and went to have a look, "Yeah. He didn't eat much for lunch, he must want something now." The lady scientist looked through the fridge for something to give to the baby while Zarbon went to get the rest of the presents.  
  
"Oh, it's okay, Zarbon, I got them!" Trunks said, carrying the stack of presents.  
  
"Here, I'll get the door," the changling offered, holding it open for Trunks.  
  
"Yeah, thanks, man," the demi-Saijin replied, "Where do these go?" Krillin pointed in the direction of the table and Trunks gave a nod.  
  
Bulma, who was giving Keichii some apple sauce, spoke up, "Okay, so what else needs to be done?"  
  
Yamcha pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and looked it over, "Well..let's see. The food is taken care of, believe it or not, and so is the party favors. Drinks will be arriving momentarily, so I guess we have to finish decorating."  
  
Tien gave a smile, "That shouldn't be hard to do. You know, considering that we're able to fly."  
  
Bulma huffed as she cleaned up after Keichii, "Hey, speak for yourself! Some of us still do not have that ability, you know!"  
  
Krillin gave a nervous laugh, "Well, don't worry about it then, Bulma. You can handle watching over Keichii and maybe do some decorations down near the ground. We'll handle all the tall stuff, okay?"  
  
The blue-haired woman shrugged it off, "Alright, that sounds perfectly fine to me."  
  
Trunks stepped forward, trying to get a look at what was on the list Yamcha held. The bandit, seeing his interest, passed it to him, "You wanna call dibs on something?"  
  
The teenager chuckled, "Perhaps... Man, there sure is a lot of stuff to do on here! Why didn't you just add 'repaint the room' to the list?"  
  
Yamcha laughed at that, taking the paper back when Trunks extended it, "Hey man, don't worry, we'll get it all done. Wanna help me put up the banner?"  
  
Trunks gave a nod, "Sure." At that moment, the door opened and two figures carrying some cases came inside.  
  
"Hey, Gohan, Piccolo!" Krillin greeted them both with a smile.  
  
Gohan grinned when he saw the bald monk, "Hey, Krillin!"  
  
Piccolo gave a nod, "...So where do the drinks go?"  
  
Krillin ran into the kitchen, opening up a line of coolers that had been set up, "In here, guys." The Namek set down his stack, and began opening the cases and pouring the drinks into the coolers. "Need any help, bro?" Krillin asked the young demi-Saijin.  
  
"Yeah, there's a ton more cases outside," Gohan mentioned as he began to follow his teacher's lead. On the way out, Krillin caught a bit of Tien and Yamcha arguing.  
  
"It's crooked!" Tien complained, pointing, "The one side is higher than the other and it's off center!"  
  
Yamcha looked over the banner before saying, "Oh come on! You can barely tell!"  
  
Trunks, in an effort to make them calm down, moved his side up just a bit, "Is that better?"  
  
Tien sighed, folding his arms, "It's still off center."  
  
Krillin lugged in a few cases of sodas, noticing Zarbon wasn't doing anything, "Hey Zarbon? Would you get the extra box of decorations from the hall closet? Thanks.." The alien sighed to himself before walking off to find the hall closet and the box of decorations. The coolers were rapidly being filled while the argument about the banner still went underway.  
  
"All I'm saying is that it just doesn't look right!" Tien complained, sitting down on the couch.  
  
Yamcha grabbed his shoulders and shook him a little, "Tien! Calm down! Think a little...Would Goku actually care if the banner is off center??"  
  
Tien looked down in thought for a moment, "No..."  
  
Yamcha stood up triumphantly, "Then _stop_ worrying about it! We've got other things to do!" Zarbon entered the room with a cardboard box, and he set it down on the coffee table. Yamcha took out his check list and marked off the banner, "Okay! Let's get movin'!"  
  
***  
  
An hour and a half later, the gathered Z "gang" lounged about the living room, the setting sun casting the room in a hazy orange color. "Man, I think I spent so much energy preparing _for_ the surprise party I think I'm too tired to actually _do_ it," Tien mumbled, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes as he began to relax.  
  
"I'm too excited," Trunks said in response, "I'll probably pass out right after we yell surprise though."  
  
Yamcha chuckled at that, "Nah. There's going to be too much chaos for that to happen."  
  
Krillin gave a small yawn, stretching out, "Hey..when's Chi-chi going to get here?"  
  
Gohan paused to think about it, "I think she said a half of a hour till. She had to make an excuse to get out of the house and make up a reason for dad to be here."  
  
Piccolo glanced over at the clock, "It is a half of an hour till." Just then, the door opened.  
  
"Hi, guys!" Chi-chi called out, heaving in some presents and some more food. A chorus of slurred, mumbled, and half-hearted greetings came her way. "Well I hope you're just as enthusiastic when Goku comes in," she said sarcastically, though, playfully.  
  
Krillin picked himself up from his seat, "Here, Chi-chi, let me help you."  
  
She passed some of the heavier items over to him, "Thanks, Krillin. The presents go on the table, I see. The one thing you're holding needs to be refrigerated. The blue box." Krillin set down the other boxes, placing the blue one in the fridge. The door opened again and everyone turned to see who it was.  
  
"Is this where the party is supposed to be at?" a young black-haired man asked. Trunks automatically broke out in a cold sweat, regardless of what his mind was telling him. The sound of an aircraft landing outside flooded the house.  
  
"All right! Master Roshi's back with the cake!" Yamcha cheered, pushing past the androids to race outside.  
  
"This appears to be the place, Seventeen," Sixteen said, his voice not holding the mechanical sound it once had.  
  
"Where's your bathroom?" Eighteen asked, looking around.  
  
Krillin blushed slightly at her presence, "It's right this way." Tien looked over at Trunks, noticing the way Krillin was apprehensive and prone to accidents around the blond.  
  
Trunks nervously smirked in response, 'Man...Krillin with the android..no way.'  
  
Yamcha's voice boomed out, "Make way for the cake!!" Everyone stepped back as Yamcha and Master Roshi carefully hefted the large cake up and on top of the counter.  
  
"Wow! That thing's huge!" Trunks declared with a grin, his eyes roaming over the five thick layers, all covered in a creamy chocolate frosting that was intricately edged. The top layer was at least eight inches in diameter and it said "Happy Birthday Goku!" with a small picture of a smiley face with Goku's hair right beneath it.  
  
Gohan looked it over in delight as well, "It looks great! What kind is it, mom?"  
  
Chi-chi looked it over to make sure it wasn't damaged in any way, "Yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Your father doesn't like things too fancy you know."  
  
Krillin returned to the room, "Holy cow! Look at that thing!" Most of the fighters gave the cake at least one good look, but after a few minutes, they all dispersed, losing interest.  
  
"It's about a quarter till," Krillin mentioned, unable to stand still, "I'm so nervous!" Eighteen reappeared, though she stood in the back of the room with the other androids. The screen door opened, squeaking its protest again. Everybody froze, expecting it to be Goku because he as the only one missing from the party now.  
  
"What are you all staring at?" Vegeta growled loudly, folding his arms as he stood by the front door.  
  
"Oh geez, it's only Vegeta," Zarbon said, rolling his eyes.  
  
Krillin gave a sigh of relief, muttering, "If it was Goku..I think I would have freaked."  
  
The prince's tail lashed around, its motion snapping like a whip, "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" He was obviously responding to the other alien's comment. Zarbon looked up into the brunette's eyes and Trunks felt his blood run cold. His instincts screamed out that this was bad news - it was like Zarbon was challenging Vegeta.  
  
"It means," Zarbon said, his voice rising, "You're not welcome here. Who told you you could come?" Trunks squeezed his eyes closed briefly, expecting to get scolded in a moment's time.  
  
"_I_ said I could come," Vegeta declared in a tone that almost sounded like he was proud, "And _I_ never heard anyone say I couldn't."  
  
The blue-skinned man's eyes narrowed, "I would think you'd get a clue when we didn't invite you to come along."  
  
Vegeta almost laughed, "Like I care about anything you have to say." There was a pause, and Trunks tried to swallow the lump in his throat. The unease in the air didn't lift. In fact, the demi-Saijin swore it thickened, becoming nearly palpable. Vegeta's tail coiled upon itself before uncoiling, a movement indicating defense as well as offense - a battle ready movement.  
  
Zarbon abruptly laughed, taking a seat next to Bulma, "Oh Vegeta, you could never learn, could you?"  
  
The prince stayed unmoving before he stepped inside a bit more, as if accepting the challenge, "Why..whatever do you mean, Zarbon?"  
  
The alien chuckled evilly for a moment, "I thought you'd learn, especially after being under Frieza's rule for so long." The smile faded as Zarbon stood up, "But I think I'm going to have to teach you some manners. _Again._"  
  
Vegeta blinked, looking unimpressed by Zarbon's threats, "Oh. Look at me, I'm trembling with fear. Give me a break, Zarbon, I wasn't even afraid of the androids. Peh."  
  
Zarbon paused for a moment, his lips turning up in a sly smile, "Yes, Vegeta. You're right on some accounts, that much is true. But you never seem to get it though."  
  
Vegeta's tail bristled in annoyance, "Stop being so damn subtle! Never get _what_!?"  
  
Zarbon pushed his bangs out his face before looking the prince directly in the eyes, "I don't like you. We don't like you. _No one_..likes you, Vegeta. You're _not_ welcome here. You never were."  
  
Vegeta merely stared back. His tail stopped moving for a moment before its tip slightly twitched. A confident smirk overcame his face, "So? Tell me something I don't know."  
  
Zarbon exposed his fangs, his face contorted into a menacing sneer, "Oh, come on, Vegeta! Do you have any idea how _long_ I've been waiting to get you away from me! I knew since you were a brat you were no good! Frieza ruled me with fear! But with you...oh, Frieza ruled you with bloodlust. He gave you people to kill and you gladly followed him."  
  
Vegeta snarled with rage, and his tail bristled, looking like an array of needles, "That's bullshit! Frieza made me-!"  
  
Zarbon interrupted him, his head tipping to the side slightly, "I watched you on your purge missions. I watched you, you little sadist. You always killed the children first because you liked to see the men suffer. Women and children first, right? Anytime I killed it was because of Frieza. I killed to save myself, I didn't kill for _fun_."  
  
The prince's heart beat wildly in his chest, knowing he could not counter the accusations, 'He'd never understand!" Yes, his past was dark and morbid as he himself. Yes, he was a bad person without a heart or soul or conscience, but he couldn't help that, could he? The brunette was about to defend himself when Zarbon spoke up again, beating him to the punch.  
  
"Oh, and let's not forget all those things you did while on Frieza's ship.." Zarbon trailed off tauntingly, his expression fading to evil amusement.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Vegeta said, glaring at the changling with burning anger, his teeth clenching until his jaw hurt.  
  
"When you get to be a high ranking officer like I was, you hear.._things_," Zarbon said, a cold smirk breaking across his features, "Like about what a certain prince does in his spare time."  
  
Vegeta looked at him in utter confusion, his tail becoming dead weight again. Free time? He had class, or training, or... "Yeah, I heard you were popular with some of the elites," Zarbon said with mock-innocence, his smirk never falling, "_Really_ popular. Said you were talented." Vegeta stood unmoving, like a block of ice, as Zarbon continued, "People would talk about how skilled you were with your _mouth_ and _tongue_."  
  
Vegeta flushed red completely, his tail snapping around his waist in an instant, "Shut up! Just shut the Hell up!!"  
  
Zarbon stood and yelled over his protest, "_People would say how good Prince Vegeta was in bed!!_"  
  
Vegeta's eyes closed tightly as his fists hands began to turn white, "_Shut up_!"  
  
Trunks' stomach did end over end flips, 'Oh my god...is this true!?'  
  
Zarbon shouted loud enough for the whole house to hear, "**Prince Vegeta, the easiest lay of the entire Frieza empire!**"  
  
Vegeta's voice boomed louder than Zarbon's, "**_SHUT UP!!!_**" He heaved in his breaths unsteadily, forcing himself to swallow, "You....You....SON OF A BITCH!" Vegeta's eyes burned, raw emotion washing over him, flooding him, drowning him, "That's not true and _you know it_!" He felt wetness against his fingertips, and still ignored any accompanying pain.  
  
Zarbon folded his arms, "Do I really? Well, Vegeta, if you're so sure, then ask yourself this.. If you aren't so easy, and if you aren't so fucking twisted...why doesn't anybody trust you?"  
  
The prince stared at Zarbon for a moment, bitter, stinging tears escaping his eyes. Roughly he wiped them away with the sleeve of his shirt, shame and anger overriding his system. "I...." He closed his eyes, more hot tears escaping, which were quickly disposed of. Vegeta's body began to shake, his muscles aching, "Well..I think I understand now." He choked, holding back his pain, determined not to show complete weakness, "Ha, fine. You win again, Zarbon." He let his rage consume him, let his indifference escalate to a point where it became pessimism.  
  
A fake smile came to Vegeta's face, his voice straining as he spoke, "Yes, I killed billions of people. Yes, I had fun while doing it. Did you know a Saijin appetite is barely whetted when you're being rationed? I had a simple solution to that. Why not _eat_ my enemies? It wouldn't matter, one way or the other their bodies would disappear, so why not make the hunger pains ebb? It became tradition. Eat the remains of an extinct race, how ironic, me myself the last of my kind." He paused again, to gain his composure, a smirk spreading his lips, "Oh yes. And all those things about Frieza's ship is true. You know exactly how it was, Zarbon. Down to the detail." A bitter laugh echoed throughout the silent house, "Yeah, I give the best head, you know. I'm more talented than you'd ever believe..."  
  
The smile faded off of Vegeta's face as he forced himself to go on. His first attempt to continue failed as no noise was produced. "Or maybe, just maybe," Vegeta said, his eyes staring right into Zarbon's, "You have no fucking idea of what I've been through."  
  
The screen door opened and everyone turned, frozen in place by the gravity of the whole argument that had went underway. Vegeta wasn't able to hold back any longer, he turned and pushed Goku out of the way, blasting off into the night.  
  
"What?" Goku blinked in surprise as he watched the prince go, "What's wrong with him??"  
  
Krillin quietly spoke up, "Something that has to do with none of our business."  
  
Goku looked across all the gloomy faces, "What are you all doing here?"  
  
Trunks, finally able to move again, stood up, "Happy birthday, Goku." 


	6. Homicidal Suicide

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 5**  
aka **Homicidal Suicide**  
  
_"yes it's true that I believe/  
I'm weaker than I used to be/  
I wear my heart out on my sleeve/  
and I forget the rest of me"_  
-Matchbox 20 "Stop"  
  
Thoughts from the argument were freshly boiling around his mind, taunting him, teasing him, filling him with fury. '_People would say how good Prince Vegeta was in bed!!_' Zarbon's words hurt him, though he wasn't sure why. It was a lie. He knew it. Zarbon knew it. Maybe it had hurt because of the fact that the _others_ did not know it. They did not know the truth, but was the truth worse than the lie in this case?  
  
And being as that he wasn't on such good terms with anyone, it was most likely they'd believe Zarbon's word over his own. '_Prince Vegeta, the easiest lay of the entire Frieza empire!_' Vegeta let a growl escape from the back of his throat. _That_ had been going too far. Zarbon was calling him a slut to his face, and there was nothing he could've done to defend himself. A choked sob worked its way up through his body, and he paused for a moment to compose himself. He was not that weak anymore.  
  
Just because that bastard belittled him, it didn't mean anything. He was used to the jeers since he could remember, but..he could never face his ultimate opponent.  
  
He and Zarbon had never quite gotten along, and that was putting it nicely. Though they didn't know each other that well, they seemed to clash to the extremity. The only reasonable explanation that the prince could ever come up with was that they were natural enemies. Just like with animals, their instincts told them to hate each other.  
  
'Prince Vegeta who has no friends,' the brunette thought to himself, his eyes shutting tightly as he felt his throat tighten. 'Oh god,' he flew at top speed towards Capsule Corp, 'Oh god...it hurts because it's true.' Nappa had been the closest thing to a friend he had ever had, but the man was much older than him - was completely brute strength with no brains, and simply unamusing. He had been expendable.  
  
Other than that, Vegeta had had no one to spend his time with other than himself. Perhaps that was one of the reasons he didn't do well with people. If no one wanted to waste their time on him, why should he waste his time on anybody else? 'Fuck...why do I even care?' he asked, opening his eyes to see the large dome building he was so familiar with. A look a fierce determination came over the full-blooded Saijin, 'I won't care. I won't. It won't matter. It _won't_.' He touched down and slammed the door open.  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile, Goku's birthday party began to slowly turn into what it originally planned to be. People chatted back and forth, mentioning amusing stories that involved Goku. Drinks and appetizers were set out, though no one felt too hungry.  
  
Trunks sat on the stairs overlooking the party, his mood still dim, 'I can't believe I just sat there...I should've said something to defend father.' He bowed his head, putting his face in his hands, 'But what could I say? How was I supposed to know if Zarbon was lying or telling the truth?' He shuddered at the thought, shaking his head, 'No. Impossible. He could've never..not with the way he reacted.' When Vegeta had "admitted" to Zarbon's accusations, Trunks had heard the sarcasm in his voice. He spoke the same way he had when he spoke of the androids coming. Cold. Dead. Painful. Uncaring. And something else that lingered...  
  
'_Yes, I killed billions of people. Yes, I had fun while doing it_,' those things that Vegeta had said didn't seem like a lie. The way his eyes burned when he said that, the way the glow died when he spat out everything else, save for his hunger declaration. Trunks swallowed the horrible fact that his father was once a blatant homicidal maniac, who was now trying to turn his life around. 'No wonder he's an alcoholic,' the demi-Saijin thought, running his hands through his hair, 'If I had to resist the urge to kill people all the time, I think I'd drink a lot too.' His eyes lifted and looked across the room at the blue-skinned alien, feeling his body tremble with anger, 'Especially if I didn't have the power to kill _him_.'  
  
His eyes caught a pair looking on him from across the room and he froze. Slowly the figure made his way over, extending a can of soda to him. "Uh...Thanks, Piccolo," Trunks said quietly as he took the drink. The Namek nodded and stood next to him for a few moments, both of them just watching the party.  
  
"It's probably better that you didn't say anything," Piccolo stated casually, his gaze elsewhere as he folded his arms. The demi-Saijin looked up at him, quite shocked.  
  
He opened his can of soda and took a sip, "I, uh....Yeah, you're right. I probably would've only made things worse." Trunks looked down at the ground, his thoughts simmering.  
  
"But just because your reputation might go down, doesn't mean you shouldn't do what is right," the Namek pointed out, his gaze finally falling upon the purple-haired teen.  
  
"So are you saying..I should've said something?" Trunks asked in confusion, taking another gulp of soda.  
  
"No," Piccolo said, "I'm saying that when the time is right, you had better act upon your instincts. Follow your heart, as Goku would say." Trunks gave a nod, drinking some more of the soda. "Your father is a very interesting person, Trunks," Piccolo whispered to the demi-Saijin, "But he is none of my business. Do you understand?"  
  
Trunks looked up in wonder, "Are you saying you like Vegeta?"  
  
Piccolo turned away as he inhaled deeply, "I do not know Vegeta well, but I find him a..unique individual, and a good ally. And, I would not like to see something bad happen to him. I guess it's because I see part of myself in him. ...Like him? I don't know...Trust him? More than Zarbon, that's for sure."  
  
Trunks nodded swiftly at that remark, "Even though my father isn't as powerful as Zarbon, I would rather place my bets on Vegeta."  
  
There was a small breach in a nearby conversation and Goku looked over at them. "Oh hey, Trunks! Hi, Piccolo!" Goku said happily, "I'm glad you both came! We've come a long way, huh, Piccolo? And you, Trunks..even though we've just met I can tell you're going to fit right in." Piccolo nodded, a small smile on his face.  
  
Trunks cracked a smile as well, "Thanks, Goku. You make me feel right at home."  
  
Goku's expression became serious and he turned to the Namek, "May I speak to Trunks alone?"  
  
Piccolo nodded, walking towards Gohan, "Sure, no prob."  
  
Goku sat down next to Trunks, whispering, "Now, Trunks..can you tell me what's wrong with Vegeta?" He was confident that the younger man would explain and confide in him.  
  
Trunks glanced around to double check that no one was eavesdropping, and then he whispered back, "Zarbon and Vegeta got in a huge argument. It was really bad, Goku. I mean...There was times Vegeta started to.._cry_..."  
  
Goku's entire body tightened like a bow and he took a few deep breaths before hissing, "He _made_ Vegeta _cry_!?"  
  
Trunks motioned for him to keep his voice down, his stomach trembling, "Yes...after that, Vegeta flew off, as you know."  
  
Goku looked down for a moment, his hands clenching into fists, "I'm going to go see Vegeta."  
  
Trunks blinked a few times before leaning over to have a better view of Goku's face, "What? Are you crazy? This is your party! People will notice if you're missing!" Goku stood up, silently going up the steps. Trunks stood and followed. Goku opened the door at the top of the stairs and stepped inside. Trunks came in, being as quiet as possible.  
  
"Trunks, this Vegeta may not be the same Vegeta that was your father," Goku began, his eyebrows knit together in a weird mix of emotions, "but as any kai as my witness, the Prince of Saijins does not cry without suffering severe emotional trauma."  
  
Trunks swallowed hard and licked his lips, "Alright...I agree with you. Go check on him, please." Goku nodded, pressing two fingers to his forehead. "Goku!" Trunks called out before the taller man disappeared, "Please..help him!" The Saijin gave Trunks a promising look before he was gone.  
  
The half breed walked downstairs and Krillin looked up at him, "Hey Trunks, where did Goku go?"  
  
Trunks looked the fighter in the eyes, "I don't know."  
  
***  
  
Goku reappeared in a dimly lit den, where it looked as if a tornado had ripped through. Furniture was tossed all over the place, damaged in all sorts of degrees. Pictures on the walls were broken or nearly falling off. Glass bottles, broken and intact, littered the area, as well as a few crushed cans. There were cigarette burns scattered all about, the butts of the objects still on the ground, leaving the smell of smoke lingering in the air.  
  
The full-blooded Saijin looked around for signs of the prince, having been unable to get a specific lock on Vegeta's ki. He thought about calling for the prince, but thought better of it. He turned and followed a trail of broken glass and empty bottles which lead towards the back door where the laundry room and bathroom were located. He felt Vegeta towards his right - in the bathroom. Walking swiftly over he froze in place, surprised that the bathroom door was wide open.  
  
His eyes locked onto Vegeta's form which was consuming something from a bottle. Vegeta didn't seem to notice him; his eyes were closed. Goku's eyes curiously moved up to see what it was that the brunette was drinking and they instantly widened. Goku quickly backhanded the bottle out of Vegeta's grasp, the prince nearly getting knocked over in the process. "What the _fuck_ is wrong with you!!" Goku screamed in avid anger and combined horror, "You...You....You can't drink that!! What were you thinking!?"  
  
Vegeta looked at him under slightly clouded eyes, showing that he was a bit tipsy at most. He licked his lips, slowly assessing the situation, "Hn... The bottle said it contained alcohol."  
  
Goku felt himself shaking from such an odd mixture of emotions, "For god sakes, Vegeta! It's a cleaner; it's toxic!!"  
  
The prince eyed the younger Saijin for a moment before calmly replying, "You think I didn't know that?"   
  
Goku inhaled a few shaky breaths before saying, "_What_...?"  
  
Vegeta's eyes cleared, leaving those dark fathomless pools for Goku to gaze in. "I'm just doing what I should've done a long time ago," Vegeta stated with no emotion, "So don't worry yourself, Kakkarot."  
  
Goku blinked a few times, "W-What are you talking about?"  
  
Vegeta snarled, pushing past the younger man in disgust, "Clueless as always! ..Idiot!"  
  
Goku spun around, confused and still mad as Hell, "Hey! Damnit, Vegeta! Don't walk away from me!"  
  
The prince spat back over his shoulder, "I'll do whatever I want, and you can't stop me!"  
  
Goku caught up to him as Vegeta headed towards the bedrooms, and he grabbed the brunette's arm to halt his progressions, "No! Stop! Explain yourself!"  
  
The prince's eyes flashed dangerously before he ripped himself away from Goku's hold, "No, I won't! I don't have to explain myself to anyone!"  
  
Goku paused, watching Vegeta's tail move in odd, sporadic motions that seemed completely unnatural, "How much did you drink?"  
  
Vegeta scoffed, turning away from Goku, "You stopped me about a quarter of the way through." Goku gave a sigh of relief, knowing that with a Saijin's digestive system, a quarter of a bottle wouldn't probably do much damage other than perhaps a slight stomach ache. "Oh, you're _happy_ about that?" Vegeta nearly screamed, "Well, fuck you too!"  
  
Goku's expression turned into complete shock and exasperation, "WHAT! Vegeta, what...Where the Hell did that come from!?"  
  
The prince shoved him backward, standing up defiantly towards the other Saijin, "You're so stupid! You have no idea! They didn't tell you, did they? All those things I did? All the people I've killed! You're such an idiot, Kakkarot! You're so incredibly moronic I can't even begin to describe it!"  
  
Goku's nose flared at the sudden onslaught of insults, "Vegeta, you better calm down. You're not acting yourself."  
  
Vegeta pushed him again, his tail bristling and looking like it had its own set of spikes, "Not acting _myself_!? Oh, Kakkarot! Don't make me laugh! I told you you were stupid, but you just won't believe me, will you!? You see, I _am_ acting myself. Do you think I'd ever let anyone see me, like this? Do you? Do you think those other pathetic warriors would ever even fathom the idea of being an ally to a complete bloodlust lunatic!? I am _Saijin_, Kakkarot! And you are nothing more than a no-brain third-class little shit nobody!"  
  
Goku felt his pent up frustration cause him to snap, and he screamed at the prince, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"  
  
Vegeta seethed with anger, his eyes showing an inner turmoil, a whirlwind of emotions. "What the hell is wrong with _me_?" the smaller Saijin mocked, "I'll tell you what the hell is _wrong_ with _me_! My entire race is _dead_, Kakkarot! My family is _dead_! My home world is _destroyed_! Everyone is gone except for _you_! Everyone is gone and I'm stuck _here_, where I'm not even welcome!  
  
"I'll tell you what's wrong with _me_; I'll tell you what the hell is the _matter_: I can't live up to anyone's expectations, not even my own! I can never be a normal person! I love to kill, you fucking moron! I enjoy abusing people, but I'm so sick and tired of doing it! I'm at the end of my wits! I can't stand to be _weak_ anymore! I have done nothing, I am nothing, and everyone else can fuck off! I'm so sick of all this bullshit called my life! I'm so _sick_ of it and I'm _**not going to take it ANYMORE!!**_"  
  
They stood there for an unknown amount of time. Goku stared at Vegeta mutely while the prince looked at him with burning eyes. The taller Saijin let his eyes close momentarily as he pushed away the older man's feelings, which were so openly exposed it was overwhelming him. 'I never would have ever thought it was this bad,' Goku thought to himself, swallowing the lump in his throat. Suddenly, Vegeta turned and began to march downstairs. "Where are you going?" Goku called out, starting to follow.  
  
"Don't worry," Vegeta responded, his tone thick with sarcasm, "I'm a big boy and I can take care of myself!" Goku stood dumbly, watching with sad eyes as the brunette briskly went downstairs.  
  
At the top of the staircase he shouted down, "Vegeta, I'm serious! C'mon, where are you going?" There was no reponse. A second passed by. "Vegeta?" Goku called out, fear beginning to overcome him - his instincts were screaming at him that something was off. Still no reply was given. And then suddenly, there was a small metallic clatter on a tiled floor.  
  
Forgetting his technique, he rushed towards the sound, and was there in a fraction of a second regardless. He gaped in complete terror at the sight which greeted him in the kitchen. Vegeta was leaning against the counter, his body nearly falling out from underneath him as he tried to support himself. A large red spot was growing across the midsection of Vegeta's shirt, the prince's lips trembling.  
  
The brunette gasped for air, a stupid grin on his face, "Wow, that didn't hurt as bad as I imagined it would."  
  
His body shook and he slumped over. Goku caught him instantly. The grin was gone, and all that was left was agony - bitter, satisfied agony. "Goddamnit, Vegeta! What the fuck were you thinking!?" Goku screamed, trying desperately to think of something he could do.  
  
Not expecting a reply, Goku was quite shocked when Vegeta spoke in a rather steady voice, "I was thinking, I was doing something for the good of everyone."  
  
Goku looked at him in shock, seeing pain easily etched on Vegeta's features as he cradled him, "What!? By killing yourself!?"  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes, his lips pulling into a smirk, "Ha...ha....exactly."  
  
Goku shook his head to clear it, trying to think of what he could do. He knew Vegeta wouldn't be able to last much longer, especially if he didn't want to hold on. And then a thought came to him, 'Master Roshi's! There's a spare senzu in the upstairs bedroom!' They flickered out and arrived in the said location. Goku carefully set Vegeta down on the bed, the prince's body shaking as if he was cold. Goku went to the other side of the room, looking for the senzu bean.  
  
Vegeta felt things getting hazy and he gazed down at his own hands that were covered in his blood, 'Hm...at least I bleed red.....' His tail jolted as he twitched, and he heard Goku softly cursing.  
  
He began to let his eyes close when he heard a small portion of what Goku mumbled, "...senzu! Where are you!? ..." Vegeta's eyes snapped open, his breaths ragged, though extremely quiet. Goku was going to make him _live_! How dare he... How DARE he! Who did he think he was!? Vegeta's eyes suddenly focused, his senses becoming keenly aware, as if he was in battle. The door to the room was open. A quick glance to his side and he saw Goku looking the other way. What a golden opportunity... With amazing speed, the prince was on his feet and running out the door.  
  
"VEGETAAA!!!" the scream from upstairs caused everyone to stop what they were doing. A thunder of footsteps came from the second story. The prince nearly stumbled on his escape, Goku directly behind him. The white shirt was nearly half red by now, the fabric sticking to the wound as the crazed prince stormed his way down into the living area. His eyes scanned around the room in one amazing quick sweep and he ran towards the counter while Goku begged him to stop the whole time. The prince grabbed the item he saw and spun fluidly around. Goku barely moved back in enough time, earning only a graze across the cheek.  
  
"You SON OF A BITCH!" Vegeta screamed in fury, "You dare interfere!? I'LL KILL _YOU_!!" He lunged the knife towards the younger man, but Goku caught his wrist. Both tried to push in the opposite direction, causing a stalemate.  
  
"Vegeta, you have to stop!" Goku said sternly.  
  
"Fuck you!" the prince retaliated, "_One_ of us is going to die!" At that moment, Vegeta let his arm go slack. Goku's eyes widened as he suddenly realized what it was that Vegeta had done. He threw the knife to the opposite side of the room in rage.  
  
He felt betrayed, and without thinking, he slapped Vegeta, "Damn you! How could you make me do that?!"  
  
Vegeta smirked, examining the second stab wound he now adorned. He heaved in air, a taunting smirk curving his lips, "It was simple, Kakkarot. I told you, it was either you or me."  
  
Goku grit his teeth for a moment, 'How do you stop a homicidal suicide!?' Vegeta suddenly swung his fist around, hitting Goku square in the jaw. All this being unexpected, Goku stumbled to the side. 'My god he has so much energy! Where is it coming from!?' Goku thought briefly in awe before the prince kicked him into the nearby wall. He shook his head to clear it, but a fist met his stomach. His reflex was instantaneous - Goku swung his fist around, punching Vegeta in the side of his head, sending him sprawling. Goku went to tackle him, thus beginning an all out fist fight. Vegeta, surprisingly, held his own with grace, and what appeared to be ease. With a powerful kick, Vegeta sent Goku reeling back onto the ground.  
  
'That's it,' Goku thought to himself, 'I'm going Super Saijin.'  
  
Vegeta triumphantly cried out, "Prepare to die, Kakkarot!" He was gathering a large ki ball in his hand, a strange maniacal laughter rising in his throat. Yes, he was going to kill the last of his kind. And, _oh yes_, it was going to feel _so good_. Goku, expecting a blast to be heading his way, was stunned when nothing happened. Vegeta gasped for air, his lips trembling, the ki ball fading. "Ha..." Vegeta said, coughing harshly, blood flowing from his mouth in a stream, "I...I beat you to it...." His eyes fluttered before his body fell backwards with a large thud.  
  
Goku scrambled over to the prince, "Vegeta! VEGETA!" He slapped the prone body a few times but there was no indication that the older Saijin would be waking up. Hastily, Goku reached into his pocket and pulled out the senzu bean. Opening Vegeta's mouth, he forced the bean down the prince's throat. "C'mon...Vegeta..." Goku whispered, "Don't leave me now, Vegeta.... It's not supposed to end like this."  
  
The figure made no indication of movement for many moments. And then, Goku's chest heaved. He grasped the form of his friend and sobbed heavily into Vegeta's shoulder, "Oh god, Vegeta, why...?"  
  
This hurt more than any other time a friend of his had died. He had always been strong and composed. Sad, yes, but always in control. Now, without Vegeta...he felt hysterical, emotional, uncompossed. "No, Vegeta, no..." Goku whispered more to himself, nuzzling his face against the smaller body. He couldn't cry. He'd forgotten how to so long ago. He made himself forget. But he wanted to..he wanted to release the anguish. He wanted, more than anything, to save Vegeta.  
  
After a moment, however, he felt a steady tickle of heat washing over his neck. His breath hitched and he pulled back, his eyes meeting infinite black ones. "Vegeta..." Goku whispered, a small relieved smile cracking his lips. The prince blinked and did nothing more. After many minutes, he gently pushed at Goku's chest. The taller man obliged, allowing the brunette to get upon his feet. Goku stood as well, and they stared at each other for a moment. Vegeta suddenly looked down, turned, and calmly walked towards the door. The screen door protested as he carefully pushed it open, and the prince left, intent on never returning again. 


	7. The Relief of Mr Suicidal Maniac

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 6**  
aka **The Relief of Mr. Suicidal Maniac**  
  
_"Can we forget about the things/  
I said when I was drunk/  
I didn't mean to call you that/  
I can't remember what was said or what you threw at me/  
Please tell me/  
Please tell me why/"_  
-Lit "My Own Worst Enemy"  
  
The initial shock of what had transpired began to wear off, and questions were shot across the room before there was time to answer. Goku sat in the middle of the chaos, staring out of the door at the night sky, scanning and rescanning Vegeta's emotions. And every time he was surprised to find that the prince seemed to be completely and utterly calm. There was no turbulence anywhere that Goku could tell, which confused him even more. The frantic shouts across the room grated on his nerves, and finally he rasped out, "SHUT UP!"  
  
The entire house went silent as Goku stood, walked over to the kitchen sink, and splashed his face with water. All eyes were on him, everyone waiting for an explanation. As Goku turned around he gazed briefly at all the people present before stating, "I'm not saying anything. There is nothing that I am at liberty to say. If you have any questions, ask Vegeta himself, otherwise, just leave me alone. I've had a long day and I'd like to go home and try to get some sleep. We can plan for another get together another day. I thank you all for your thoughtfulness." He turned towards Chi-chi, "Could you please gather everything up and take it home? Thanks." Before she could respond, however, he was already gone.  
  
He reappeared at his house where he began to pace. He wanted nothing more than to go speak with Vegeta, but he felt that at the moment it wouldn't be such a good idea. Suddenly, the phone rang, causing the black-haired Saijin to jump a bit in surprise. With a sigh, he picked up the receiver and answered, "Hello?"  
  
A quiet voice came across the line, "Goku?"  
  
Goku took a seat and stretched out, the initial shock wearing off, taking with it his adrenaline, "Yes, Trunks?"  
  
The purple-haired teen breathed for a moment before starting, "I wanted to tell you..I'm sorry."  
  
Goku blinked slowly before lounging himself across the couch, wincing as he accidentally bumped some various injuries, 'Vegeta is so strong! I don't understand it.. He couldn't have been masking his power, could he?' The taller man leaned his head into a pillow, "I don't know what you mean, Trunks. Apologize over what?"  
  
Trunks sighed uncomfortably, "I...What happened tonight..."  
  
Goku interrupted him as he pulled off his boots, wiggling his toes in appreciation as his feet met fresh air, "Trunks, that was beyond anyone's control. Trust me, this was a long time coming, I can tell. Vegeta is..." Goku paused to think about all the events that had transpired, but he kept thinking of all the good times they had, like when they went to a club, or when they went to the flee market.  
  
"Vegeta has been very careful about the way he acts around people," Goku finally said, frowning at the truth of the matter, "But he's not entirely at fault. Most of his problems seem to do with not only what had happened when he was a kid, but what's happening now. It seems that he's been..depressed, and I don't mean just recently, I mean for years. Even so, he's been very clever about keeping it a secret. And after putting up with everything that he has for so long...he just snapped. As anyone would in his case."  
  
Trunks reviewed things over in his head, "So...you think that this is a long term depression?"  
  
Goku sunk himself into the cushions of his couch, "Yes. Absolutely."  
  
Trunks thought for another moment, "Could he possibly have a chemical imbalance?"  
  
"You mean he's depressed because his brain tells him to be? The kind of problem you fix with a pill? No, I don't think so, Trunks. Vegeta's problems seem to be much worse and harder to repair," Goku said with a deep sigh as he closed his eyes.  
  
"Goku? ..What, specifically, do you mean?" Trunks' confused voice came over the line.  
  
"Self-esteem, Trunks," the full-blooded Saijin clarified, "Self-respect. Your father has little to none. He doesn't have faith in others because no one has faith in him. That on top of everything else - like his various..failures - leads him to believe he's better off dead for the sake of everybody."  
  
Trunks breathed deeply for a moment, "Is he still suicidal, Goku?"  
  
Goku paused, thinking about it, "I...I don't think so, but I'm really not sure. I can't really sense anything from him. It's strange. It feels like he's indifferent to everything."  
  
Trunks agreed, "Yeah, that sounds like his way of handling it, but that's just my opinion."  
  
Goku released a yawn, whining a bit as his jaw protested. He rubbed it for a moment, trying his best to soothe it, "Hey Trunks? I really am going to try to get some sleep, and you should too. If you see Vegeta....tell him..I have two tickets for the movies tomorrow."  
  
Trunks blinked in surprise, nearly dropping the phone, "You're going to act like nothing's happened??"  
  
Goku kneaded the sore muscles in his arm, "Yeah, well...you have a better idea?"  
  
A short pause ensued before Trunks replied, "Uh..no. I guess it is best that we act like nothing's happened, at least for now. Alright, then..goodnight, Goku. I'll speak to you tomorrow. I'll be sure to relay your message if I see father."  
  
Goku gave a small smile as he stood, "Okay, Trunks. Thanks. Goodnight, and sleep well." He placed the phone on the hook and gave a heavy sigh. He hadn't let Trunks see exactly how upset he was, which was good. But now that he was alone, he felt the familiar discomfort returning.  
  
He padded silently into the bedroom, climbing on the bed, not even bothering with the covers. 'Vegeta...how can I make you see? You mean so much to me. I just want to make you happy,' Goku blinked his eyes slowly, staring off into space. 'I'm sorry if I mean nothing to you, but I can't help what class I was born into,' Goku thought, his eyes closing as he began to drift off, 'I won't hurt you, Vegeta...'  
  
His breathing steadied as he fell into a deep, yet restless, sleep. It held visions of times he had tried to forget, places that he hadn't been to in years, and actions that no one knew of except for himself. He dreamed of a figure smirking at him in satisfaction, but it was a cold, cruel satisfaction, like when your enemy smites themself. He would wake up and not remember this.  
  
***  
  
It was odd for the Prince of Saijins - not wanting to drink. He had used drinking as his means of escape for years now, and suddenly, he didn't wish to touch a drop of alcohol. He contributed this to the fact that he no longer wanted to run away from his problems. He had just done that, and look where it got him - nearly killing the last of his kind and letting everyone see him for who he really was. He had nearly killed himself.  
  
He sighed and wrapped his arms around his torso in a vague attempt to give himself comfort. He felt dead to the world, as one would when they had accomplished all that they could. In this case, however, he had failed at all that he could. Interesting how it had the same results.  
  
No longer able to fly properly, he landed on the ground shakily, stumbling before completely falling over. The brunette collapsed, inhaling deeply as he rolled onto his back so that he could stare up at the night sky. Now everyone knew the truth about him, and there was nothing that was going to change that. Vegeta closed his eyes for a moment to clear his thoughts.  
  
It was...a relief.  
  
To finally have to stop worrying about whether or not those stupid earthlings would see him for who he really was. To finally be able to stop being so subtle, so defensive. On the other hand, he couldn't stand the fact that they would never look at him the same. He hated how he ruined any remote chance of ever gaining anyone's trust. Overall, he supposed, it was for the best. He wasn't to be trusted, he knew that much. Even with someone who was completely loyal to him, he eradicated.  
  
With a sigh Vegeta sat himself up, over-viewing the night's transactions. 'I can't go back,' he thought to himself, 'I wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place.' He gathered himself and got upon his feet, looking around to regain his sense of direction. 'I'll leave in the morning,' he decided, lifting into the air and blasting off.  
  
***  
  
In the early hours of the day, Vegeta entered Capsule Corp, keeping his ki masked so as not to alert anyone that might be around. Walking silently, he entered the kitchen and began looking through the cabinets. When he didn't find what he was looking for there, he turned towards the closets, but he still was unable to find anything. Sighing, he stealthy made his way into the lab, being extra cautious. After looking the place over and finding that neither Zarbon or Bulma was there, he stepped inside and approached the figure that was present.  
  
"Oh, hello, Vegeta," Mr. Briefs greeted, glancing up from something he was working on. The prince looked over the older man's shoulder in idle curiosity, waiting until he was the full center of attention. Mr. Briefs fixed up a few things before turning to the brunette, "What can I do for you, lad?"  
  
Vegeta looked at the ground for a moment before he made a few hand gestures. "What?" Mr. Briefs said in confusion, not understanding that the prince was getting at. Vegeta repeated the gestures, but the older man still didn't understand what he meant.  
  
Sighing, Vegeta made a shape of a box with his hands. "You need a box?" Bulma's father asked, blinking a few times. Scratch crept up onto his shoulder and mewed, Mr. Briefs scritching him behind his ears. Vegeta gave a nod. "Oh, ok. Why didn't you say so?" Mr. Briefs inquired as he reached around under the desk until he pulled out a cardboard box that contained a few screws, nails, and washers. Vegeta said nothing in response, merely nodding as he took the box. Once he was out of the room, the man looked at his cat, "I wonder what that was all about."  
  
The prince made it to his room without any trouble and he set the box on the bed. He saw the box of cigars that Goku had given him and he picked it up. He stared at the box, his mind going blank for a moment before he zoned out completely, remembering the many things Goku had done for him. Snapping out of it, he quickly put the cigars into the cardboard box and resumed his search around the room. He found a few partially empty bottles and he put those away as well. Next he opened his closet, which he did with slight difficulty, but nothing a Saijin couldn't handle.  
  
Thrown all about was the clothing he had managed to make his own, which wasn't much, and hard to come by. His old armor was in there along with some plain shirts and jeans. A variety of battle suits also were stuffed into a small heap, and not bothering to sort things through, he grabbed it all and jammed it into the box. He paused momentarily, but only to consider where he was going. Taking one last look around, he picked up the box and headed downstairs. He walked towards the front door when Bulma came in. She was alone, which was good in a way because Vegeta didn't wish to see Zarbon anytime soon, or ever again for that matter.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked, her voice not extremely harsh. He blinked, waiting for her to move out of his way. "Well?" she spoke loudly as she put her purse away in the nearby closet. Still he said nothing, merely watching her and blinking. She looked up at him and then she carefully examined his features. With a sigh, she opened the door and held it for him, "Alright, go on." He raised an eyebrow at her, fairly amused by her actions. "Look Mr. Suicidal Maniac," Bulma said, her voice growing stern, "If you want to go, then go! Don't just stand around like an idiot!" A light smirk appeared on his features, his eyes narrowing, 'I think she's afraid of me.' The blue-haired lady watched nervously as Vegeta's expression grew dark. He watched her through his peripheral vision as he walked calmly out the front door, lifting into the skies only seconds later.  
  
Flying through the air, he noticed that he was begining to relax. The prince felt like he was leaving all his worries behind, and in a weird sort of way, he was. He let himself go in whatever direction his soul yearned, closing his eyes as he sighed deeply. Within the hour, he found his newest temporary home. Every place was temporary. His home, he could never return to.  
  
The place was far away from other people where even life did not exist in great numbers: the northern ice cap. The air was deathly cold, but merely felt brisk to him. Something about this place seemed tranquil. He set down, earning a soft crunch from the snow. He set the box down and scanned the horizon, for what, he wasn't sure, but the place seemed to please him. Nothing but snow and ice around for miles. A smile came to his lips, 'It's so quiet here.' He listened to the wind approach from the distance and shivered delightfully as it passed. His blood flowed unlike it had in a long time.  
  
'I think I'll go for a swim,' he decided, stripping himself of the outfit he was currently wearing. He dug through his box and was surprised to find the pair of swimming trunks that Goku had picked out for him. He quickly slipped them on and dashed for the "shore". He paused at the edge of the iceberg he was on to look down into the glittering depths of the ocean. With a large breath, he dove in and swam down.  
  
The water was as cold as the ice, but with the help of his ki, it felt comfortably cool. Deeper and deeper the brunette swam, not understanding why he felt the urge. He glanced back to see the small dot of the sun, pausing to look at the murkiness that surrounded him, before he dove down once more. When the pressure increased Vegeta increased his ki, to make certain that he wouldn't feel discomfort. Soon he was swimming in blackness, so deep that light didn't even dare seep through. Within a few more seconds, he touched the ocean floor.  
  
He sat for a moment before gathering his ki, a small ball radiating soft light into depths that had probably never seen light. He turned around and was surprised to see _something_ lying there. It was the size of an average Orca whale, though it looked nothing like the other animals on the planet. One large eye was fixed upon him, though it seemed to be in pain because of the light. Vegeta gave a nod and almost diminished the ki ball, leaving just enough glow to see. The large animal stirred and turned towards him, quite unsure on how to regard Vegeta. It made a few stretching movements before approaching the Saijin.  
  
The thing looked like a cross between a dragon and an aquatic animal. Its large snout extended towards Vegeta and seemingly sniffed him for a moment. Carefully, the prince reached out, trying not to frighten it. The animal shrunk back slightly, but Vegeta very gently ran his hand over the creature's forehead, amazed by the smooth texture of the skin.  
  
'_I won't hurt you_,' Vegeta sent to it telepathically - whether the animal understood or not was another thing. But it seemed to because it relaxed again, taking up its spot at the ocean bed once more. Now known as a benign presence, the prince turned his attention elsewhere.  
  
He moved out of sight of the creature, and examined the dark ocean floor. It was like being in a liquid tomb. He observed the strange feel of the ocean bed against his feet, but he was gradually losing interest. His lungs now ached for air, and he fell into a momentary lapse. Like an aftershock, he felt himself snap again. A tempest of rage exploded within him, frustration escalating till he simply let it over come him.  
  
He inhaled, punishing himself - for what, he wasn't sure. He was only aware of the sharp stab of pain in his lungs. He convulsed, trying to convince his body not to accept anymore fluid in. His vision blurred, and irritated, he flew up to the surface. He flung himself over the edge of an iceberg as he coughed up sea water. He heaved, pushing his hair away from his face, and finally, he pulled himself out of the ocean. As he rolled over, looking up at the sky, he could only sense one thing:  
  
This wasn't over yet. Last night was only the beginning.  
  
He forced himself to dress, digging out a pair of jeans and a Polo shirt from his box. Gazing at the contents, he extracted his drinks, mixing them all into one bottle. He lifted the glass as if giving a toast. He looked up, narrowed his eyes, and said, "Fuck those weaklings." Vegeta downed it all in one breath.  
  
***  
  
"Gone?? What do you mean _gone_??" Goku asked, puzzled and worried.  
  
"Look, I'm just telling you what Bulma told me," Trunks replied, looking as unhappy as Goku, "and she said he just up and left."  
  
Goku sat down on the bed next to Trunks, "Well, did she say _where_ he was going?"  
  
Trunks shook his head, trying to look sympathetic, "No. She said he just left. That's all there is to it."  
  
Goku ran his hands through his ebony bangs, "I wish he would've told someone where he was going."  
  
Trunks sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees, and his chin in his hands, "I do too, Goku. But can't you just find him by his ki?"  
  
Goku tipped his head back and closed his eyes in concentration, "I...still can't get a clear reading. He doesn't want to be found."  
  
The teenager gave a small sigh of relief, "Well, at least you can detect him."  
  
Goku nodded, leaning back and pausing again, "I can't sense his emotions anymore."  
  
Trunks tilted his head so he could look at the older man, "So you think he's not..you know..suicidal?"  
  
The full-blooded Saijin seemed to ponder this for a moment, "I don't think so. Not at the moment. If he was, he'd already done something about it. I know that much by what happened yesterday."  
  
Trunks cringed, his gaze falling, "Want to talk about it?"  
  
Goku smirked a little, "You say it like it was me trying to commit suicide. You're curious as to what happened, aren't you?"  
  
Trunks flushed a bit at being caught red-handed, "Uh...I won't lie. Yes, I'd like to know what happened."  
  
Goku switched his position, lying down on his side with his hand propping up his head, "As you know, I went to check on Vegeta. When I found him, he was..had been drinking. He was very defensive, even began cursing and calling me names. I didn't know what was wrong and so I asked. He just..exploded with anger, telling me everything. He just snapped."  
  
Trunks carefully interrupted, "He told you everything? What do you mean?"  
  
Goku inhaled deeply before he continued explaining, "About why he was upset. He mentioned about our home world. How it was destroyed and everyone was dead. Then he went on saying how he hated being..the way he was? I'm not sure, it all happened so fast. Then he said he wasn't going to take it anymore." Trunks stared at the ground in thought, getting startled slightly as Goku finished.  
  
"He went downstairs then," Goku's eyebrows knit together at the memory, "I called for him, but he didn't reply. I went downstairs and he had..stabbed himself. Told me it was for the good of everyone. I took him to Master Roshi's to get the senzu bean. The rest you already know." Trunks sat, absorbing all the information, his face pale. To break the silence, there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Come in," the demi-Saijin called out.  
  
Zarbon opened the door, "Hello, Trunks. Hi, Goku. Bulma told me to tell you to come downstairs. There's someone here to see us." Trunks and Goku looked at each other before they got up and followed Zarbon. When arriving in the den, they were pleased to see Piccolo standing there waiting.  
  
"Hey guys," he greeted in his normal gruff voice, "Kami wants us to head up to his lookout. Said he's got some important news."  
  
Goku nodded, a look of determination crossing his face, "Right. We'll be along in a sec."  
  
Piccolo didn't avert his gaze from Goku's eyes, "And Goku? Could you tell Vegeta as well? This is a very serious matter and he needs to know. He's an extremely valuable asset to us."  
  
The full-blooded Saijin blinked in shock, "Okay. No prob." Goku turned and swiftly made his way towards the door, 'If Piccolo says Vegeta will be needed, and it's of a serious matter, than this has to do with something threatening the Earth. So who has come to take it over now? Or blow it up. Sometimes they want to do that too..' He paused by the door, the handle in his grasp, 'But I don't even know where to start looking for Vegeta. The world is a big place to hide him in. Well, maybe....'  
  
He closed his eyes and concentrated deeply, calling out with his mind, '_Vegeta? Vegeta, can you hear me?_' He felt a response, but didn't hear one. That was good enough for Goku. '_Kami is calling a meeting up at his lookout. It's really, really important, I think you should come_,' Goku said as softly as he could, '_Besides, Piccolo demanded that I tell you, as you are a "valuable asset", as he said._'  
  
He felt Vegeta open up slightly, '_I'll think about it._' Then there was nothing.  
  
Goku looked over his shoulder calling out, "Ok! Let's go!" 


	8. Vegeta's Fear

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', '_Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said_ (it should be obvious which)'/Slashes is sign language/.

This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.

**Pandora's Box: Chapter 7**  
aka **Vegeta's Fear**

_"I don't believe in trouble/  
I don't believe in pain/  
I don't believe there's nothing left but running here again/"_  
-Franka Potente "Believe"

Upon arriving, Goku noticed that most of the other fighters were already present. Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Chou-tzu, and Gohan were all standing around in a semi-circle formation. They spent the next few seconds greeting each other before Kami cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention.

"As you know I have called you all here today over a very serious matter," the old Namek began as their gazes were attentive, "There has been something troubling me over the past couple of years. As Guardian of Earth, I have decided that now is the time to act upon it."

Goku tipped his head to the side, "Uh..so what exactly _is_ it that's been troubling you?"

Kami closed his eyes briefly, deciding on how he wanted to word it, "I'm not too sure myself. It is a creature that has been devouring the people and animals of the Earth."

Trunks was confused as well as shocked, "Devouring the people and animals of the Earth?"

Kami gave a grave nod, "Yes. This strange monster is somehow able to absorb living creatures, and I fear it will soon be powerful enough to take action to complete its goals."

Krillin scratched the top of his head, his voice a bit low as he spoke, "Okay... So what exactly _are_ its goals?"

The guardian shook his head slightly, looking frustrated, "I do not know that either. But if we do not act soon, this thing will."

Piccolo growled a bit, shifting his stance, "That's all and good except what exactly are we supposed to do?"

Gohan gave his suggestion after carefully overlooking the situation, "Someone should approach this creature and find out how powerful it really is."

Yamcha was stunned, "That could be really dangerous."

Gohan looked over his shoulder at him, "What else are we supposed to do? Wait for this to develop even more?"

Goku sighed, putting his hand to his chin in thought, "I think that's all we can do for now." Everyone turned and looked at him in shock. A chorus of "WHAT?" filled the air. "Well, for the most part, I agree with Gohan," Goku admitted, folding his arms, "but then we lose the element of surprise. Other than that, we just aren't sure how powerful that thing is. If we wait just a bit longer it may be to our advantage."

Kami, though slightly flustered, spoke calmly, "I will have to agree then. Though I will not wait much longer to pursuit a more suitable course of action. I give this two more days to mature, and then, I will act myself."

Goku gave a nod, a look of determination crossing his features, "No problem, Kami."

Chit-chat arose as it seemed the meeting was over. The full-blooded Saijin sighed deeply, stepping away from the crowd. He stared over the edge of the lookout, taking in the Earth's appearance from high above. A tiny movement caught his eye and he turned to it in an instant. Quite a distance away, Vegeta stood leaning against one of the stone pillars, his tail doing an agitated twitch. Goku waved to him, beckoning him to come join him. The prince stared a moment before slowly walking towards the younger man, his arms still folded. "I'm glad you came," Goku said with a warm, reassuring smile. Vegeta kept a good six feet in between them - he said nothing, only glancing to overlook the Earth.

"Hey Goku!" Krillin shouted out, "C'mon, we're going to have lunch!"

Goku called back, "I'll be there in just a sec!" He focused his attention on the brunette before him, "Hey, let's go get something to eat, ok?" Vegeta looked up into his eyes for a moment, his expression blank and void of emotion. Goku felt his stomach knot as the deep, black eyes met his own. Something was completely wrong with the look - like a sensation of bad memories or the haunting of a nightmare. Vegeta broke the gaze and walked swiftly towards the others. Goku swallowed, watching the other man walk off, 'He _isn't_ calm. He's anything _but_ calm. He's waiting. Waiting..for someone to provoke him. Waiting for an excuse...' A bit shaken, the taller Saijin followed after the prince, trying to dismiss the bad vibes he had received. A large table had been set outside the main hall in the shade, plates and food adorning it. Conversation stopped when Vegeta sat down, silently and emotionlessly setting up and eating his free meal.

"Oh no," Zarbon sighed deeply in agitation, "What are you doing here?" Goku took the seat across from the brunette, keeping a worried eye upon him. Vegeta said nothing, merely taking a few gulps of his drink before he continued eating. After getting no response after a considerable amount of time, Zarbon sighed again, "Please Vegeta, don't do this no-talking shit again. It's going to get tiresome after awhile."

Vegeta said nothing.

Goku's interest was sparked a bit, "What do you mean again?"

Zarbon rolled his eyes and took a bite of his food, "Oh, he did this once before when he was a kid. Didn't talk for years." Most of the Z fighters were quite surprised at the information, though they didn't want any part of the discussion.

"For years? What happened?" Goku asked, so concerned he didn't quite care that he was gaining this knowledge through Zarbon.

"Yeah, he refused to speak, so after awhile Frieza made him learn sign language just so he would communicate," the blue-skinned alien informed, rather irritated, or bored, about the whole subject.

"Vegeta, you know sign language?" Goku asked the prince, highly impressed if it was true.

Vegeta looked up from his meal, paused, and gestured a "Yes" to Goku.

Zarbon rolled his eyes, "He said yes if you didn't know. Too bad you can't talk Vegeta, then you could tell them why you stopped speaking all those years ago. Or even better, why you started again." Zarbon smirked before dropping the subject. To Vegeta, this was like playing with an open, festering wound...

---

The Prince of Saijins walked through the bowels of Freiza's ship, a heavy weight upon his mind. He had just been informed that his planet had been destroyed. His entire race was obliterated in the blink of an eye. The Saijins perished in a brief, freak incident that seemed unnatural, unbelieveable. Such a strong race was demolished so quickly. Silently, he mourned the loss of his people, and somewhere deep within himself, he mourned _for himself_.

The sole survivors were Nappa, an elite soldier, and Radditz, a third class nobody. His hands were clenched in frustration and he was unable to sit still. It was hard to fathom that everyone and everything that he knew was gone - but he knew it. He forced himself to understand and accept it. To know that he'd never see his home again. That from this day forward - he had no home.

He hadn't been able to stomach anything in the last three days - since he had been informed - and he hadn't uttered a syllable either. At night he couldn't sleep well, merely feeling a bitter emptiness as he stared at the ceiling. He lost sense of time, and yet managed to perform his duties as a soldier. Everyone was dead, he was all alone, and no one cared. Frieza threatened him in an attempt to make the prince speak, but it had no effect; the boy simply kept his mouth shut.

The white changeling thought it would pass soon enough, but he was unpleasantly surprised when still, a few weeks later, Vegeta refused to speak. The tyrant made a pastime of trying to beat the boy into some type of verbal outcry, but that had no effect as well. Despite the fact that he was impressed by Vegeta's constitution, he despised his insubordination, and therefore could not stand the child's silence.

He set the prince on a ration schedule - a punishment for any soldier, and especially grueling for a growing Saijin. Vegeta found a means of compensation during his missions. After one particularly bloody beating session, Frieza finally got fed up, "Damn you, you stupid Saijin brat! If you will not speak then you must learn to talk otherwise!" Vegeta was relieved from the duty of purging planets for a brief time to learn sign language, adapting perfectly to life without spoken words. One evening, however, changed it all.

Vegeta had just returned from a routine clean-up job, and was making his way to report to Frieza about the success. The tyrant never missed an interview, finding Vegeta the most entertaining minion out of his whole lot. Not watching where he was walking, the prince bumped into a figure. The child grunted, his lips curling as he released a snarl. A noise wrought from himself was allowed, but no one else could ever influence him to do the same for them. Or so the prince believed.

"Hey, that's not polite," the man said, his face contorted with a taunting smile. Vegeta presented his middle finger, sneering to show that he didn't care. "Don't mind if I do," the man said, grabbing the prince's wrist. Surprised, the brunette tried to rip himself free of the other man, but he was too weak to do so. He knew this, and loathed this. He was inferior to this stranger, but desperatly wished to inflict harm upon him. The man dragged the silent, though fuming prince, down a set of corridors - too many too remember - and into a room. "Look what the cat dragged in!" the man announced to the others there.

Vegeta crinkled his nose at the pugnent stench of burning chemicals. Drugged soldiers overlooked the Saijin in a manner that made him feel very uncomfortable. The look was that of a predator about to pounce upon its prey, except much more terrifying. He twisted sharply to try to dash for the door, but the man's grip was too strong. "Where do you think you're going, little prince?" the man taunted, throwing him to the floor.

He began to get up when the other men finally did pounce, each holding down an appendage - arms and legs. Vegeta wasn't exactly sure why, but the oddity of the situation scared him in a way he had never felt before. His instincts told him that these men were going to try to take something away from him, though he was too young to fully fathom what.

"Where's your Nappa, boy?" one of them taunted, the others laughing along.

The leader knelt down and overlooked him, gazing and leering with a satisfied, grotesque smile. A hand reached out and Vegeta jolted, not wanting the man near him. But the hand caressed his cheek, an injustice to Vegeta, who lashed out and snagged the appendage with his teeth. Howling, the man hit the prince in the temple, hard.

With the Saijin in a daze, the hand rubbed down his chest and stomach, till it came to his crotch. Vegeta felt adrenaline rush through him as pure fear consumed his entity. You just weren't supposed to touch people **there**. He _didn't want_ to be touched **there**. He struggled vainly, wildly, as he felt his clothes starting to get torn from his body. Vegeta panicked, his mind complete chaos. Hands were tugging at his pants, others were tearing at his shirt.

The next moment the men were completely dazed as the prince released a shrill screech strong enough to break glass. It was a natural defense mechanism in Saijins, an auditory noise equal to a cry for help. After puberty, it'd change into what could blatently be called a battle roar, meant to instill fear in the opponent.

In one moment, Vegeta forgot his pride, and in that moment, he screamed, "HELP!" His voice sounded very strange in his own ears, as he was only used to the sound of his thoughts.

The leader winced, covering his ears, "Shut that kid up!" A hand went over his mouth, covering his nose as well. Vegeta grasped at the forearm, clawing at it, his eyes wide as he couldn't breathe.

"Hey, kid!" a red-head seethed with anger, "Shut the fuck up and I'll let go. Deal?" The prince's lungs begged for air and he feverishly nodded. The hand retreated and he gasped in the precious oxygen.

The leader approached the brunette again, his gaze confident and full of lust. He knelt down, spreading the prince's legs wide. Vegeta flushed in mortification, wishing for this bizarre torture to end. It was embarrassing and _wrong_ to be this vulnerable. He tried to escape, but strong arms held him captive. Somewhere in the background, someone complained, "Damnit, I hate sloppy seconds."

When the leader removed his pants, Vegeta was horrified at the erection that sprung free. He couldn't help it, he released another Saijin plead, an animalistic howl. A hand clamped over his mouth, the owner nodding to his leader, "Go ahead, I'll keep him quiet." Lifting the child's thighs, the elite positioned himself, however, before he could act, the door opened. Vegeta turned to see Frieza and Dodoria standing there.

"What's this?" Frieza asked, sounding rather disappointed. His tone held no malice, but instead, was flat and undecipherable. There was a moment when nothing occurred, and then, Vegeta wrestled out of the grips he was held in, and made a dash for the door.

Dodoria grasped his arm, commanding him, "Vegeta, wait!"

Frieza turned to the young boy, his features the most genial Vegeta had ever seen, "My little prince, were they trying to rape you?" Rape..? Vegeta's wide eyes looked around at everyone in the room, an expression of confusion and terror on his face. "Did they try to touch you in a way they shouldn't?" Frieza reiterated, glancing angrily at the group of men. Vegeta couldn't reply, his ignorance stunted that ability. Clarifying, simplifying, Frieza finally asked, "Did they touch you without your permission or consent?"

Dodoria shook the small Saijin, "Answer Lord Frieza, or he will have no choice but to let them go!"

Let them go? No! Never! These bastards needed to pay!

"..Say it, boy!"

With all his heart and soul, Vegeta instantly choked out, "Yes!" Frieza gave Dodoria a nod and the large, pink man released him. Frieza idly watched as the prince dashed down the hall, tripping slightly in his haste.

The tyrant turned to the group of men, "Well, well...I think it's interesting how you all, who know better, would try to steal my favorite acquirement. This is very disappointing." He pointed his finger and killed two in one blast. It sent them scurrying, in which the albino enjoyed their futile efforts to escape. Eventually, one remained, who was cowering and drooling with fear.

"L-L-Lord Freiza! I beg of you to spare me! I did not know!" he practically slammed himself against the ground in an attempt to grovel and beg.

Dodoria walked between the two of them and he addressed his employer, "My lord, it is true that he has only been recently assigned here. He would not have known better."

Freiza gave a curt frown and, after a moment of deliberation, let his hand sink to his side, "Very well, you may live. However, I can no longer trust you to be in such close vicinity to my property. You will be sent to work under the supervision of my brother. This is effective immediately. You are dismissed to collect any belonging you may have, then meet with Zarbon in Cargo Bay Three in ten minutes. If you are not puntcual, expect an unwelcome reception." The man sloppily thanked Freiza repeatedly as he picked himself up and ran out the door. He continued even as he ran down the hall, till Freiza and Dodoria could no longer hear him.

"Do you think this course of action wise, my lord?" Dodoria asked as he examined the room.

The shorter male prodded a corpse with his foot, "Hm. I believe you have just reason for questioning me, Dodoria." The subordiante tried not to look surprised. "I should have made him clean the room first.." Freiza ended his train of thought. Finally, a smile returned to his face as he recalled, with much satisfaction, what his little monkey had done, "Besides, this ordeal was a blessing in disguise. Although I don't condone their actions, they were able to give me what I so desperately wanted from Vegeta." His expression turned smug.

Meanwhile, the Saijin prince bolted into his room and locked the door behind him. He retreated to the corner where he curled up to hide his nudity. That night he dared not sleep - his eyes not moving from the door. They would come back for him, wouldn't they? He got them in trouble and they would punish him.

"You need to be stronger," he whispered to himself. At some point, he managed to fall asleep.

Though Nappa could not understand why he began to speak, or why he suddenly required complete privacy for using the restroom and showering, he was glad he could understand his prince - for the burly warrior was sign-language illiterate.

---

"You say it like it's a shame he started talking again," Goku said with a slight tone of hostility.

Zarbon didn't pick up on it, only thinking the question over, "I guess, for Vegeta, it is."

Goku turned to say something to Vegeta but the prince was staring at him already. The look of anger in the prince's gaze nearly caused him to gasp. '_Tell me what business of yours this is, Kakkarot_,' Vegeta demanded of him, his eyes unblinking.

Hello, excuse. "Vegeta, I-" Goku began, but the prince was standing in an instant.

'_You dare pry into my life?_' Vegeta seethed, his fists clenched, '_You **dare** question Zarbon, of all people, about me?_'

Goku slowly stood as well, "Vegeta, that's not-"

The prince's mental onslaught cut him off, '_You have no courage to ask me yourself! How dare you! Taking information from that bastard when he doesn't even know what he's talking about! Any story he's heard had been demented and twisted so out proportion it isn't possible to tell what the original case of the matter was! You have the nerve to listen to him spew this shit about me when I am sitting right here!_'

Goku sighed, gesturing for the prince to calm down, "Look, Vegeta-"

Vegeta cut him off again, '_Traitor._'

Goku's eyebrows knit together, "Vegeta.."

The brunette narrowed his eyes, '_Liar! Faker! Traitor!_'

Goku's face hardened slightly, "I think you better calm down."

Vegeta stepped up onto the table knocking dishes everywhere, '_How can I when the very last of my kind will betray me?_'

Goku took a step back, "I will not betray you."

Vegeta growled, flashing his teeth, '_Am I just to take your word for it? You will desert me like everyone else, you traitor. For one such as you, your crimes are punishable by death._'

The taller Saijin sighed silently, "You and I both know I am stronger than you, Vegeta. I'm a Super Saijin."

The prince merely smirked, '_Is that what you believe? That being Super Saijin makes you stronger?_' He outstretched his arm, his palm in a reaching position towards Goku, '_I want to show you something, third class - something not many people have seen before. And those that had, died._' Goku stared up into Vegeta's eyes, trying to express his wishes though the prince seemed to ignore any of Goku's personal feelings about the matter.

The prince's ki skyrocketed for a moment before diving back down to normal. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them to taunt Goku. Small spheres of ki appeared within a seven foot diameter, the smirk never once leaving Vegeta's face. The younger man glanced around, his eyebrows quirked in confusion and curiosity. The spheres moved together, joining as one in front of Vegeta's palm. With that, he clenched his fist, though not entirely, causing the energy to reform. It took upon a long, thin shape, and then, its form gathered details and glowed radiantly. The gathered Z Warriors looked on in awe. '_Beautiful,_' it could of been a question or it could have been a statement. He explained, '_It's the sword of the Royal House of Saijins. The House of Vegeta._'

Goku cautiously took a few steps back, agreeing, '_It looks wonderful, Vegeta._' The taller Saijin tried not to look too stunned, thinking to himself, 'It's a ki sword, isn't it? I can't feel its power though. What _is_ it?'

The prince's smirk grew a bit wider, if not a bit darker, '_Good. Because it will be your undoing, traitor. Though one is only allowed to use the royal sword after being crowned king..I think this will be a rather nice exception to the rule._' There was a moment of silence before Vegeta lunged into the air.

"Goku! Catch!" Trunks screamed, tossing his sword to Goku.

Catching it, Goku barely blocked the attack. He had no previous experience of fighting with a sword, and though he thought the prince hadn't as well, he did not question the possibility. 'Vegeta's sword has so much power, it's unreal! Where does it come from?' he wondered as he struggled to defend himself. Vegeta snarled, lunging at the man, but missing as Goku jumped back. With one hand behind the prince's back, he took small, swift steps toward the other Saijin.

Trunks looked on with mute fascination, 'His skills..they're incredible! Is it possible this is why I'm partly so good with a sword? He's like an expert fencer!' His father was extremely agile, and Goku was at a big disadvantage, but due to his strength, he was able to manage. The best the younger Saijin could do was block the attacks that Vegeta was quick to carry out.

'Damn, he's good!' Goku thought as the tip of Vegeta's blade cut the front of his shirt. He felt his skin burn from the slice, and had to double check to ensure he wasn't injured. Back flipping into the air, Goku paused momentarily to transform into a Super Saijin, but Vegeta was in hot pursuit and the younger man had to lean backwards as to not get cut. He immediately dived, as to keep the battle out of the skies. Even with Goku's increased strength and speed he seemed to be unable to get the best of Vegeta. The taller Saijin heard the brunette's laughter ripple across his mind.

'_You're clueless as to why this sword is so powerful_,' Vegeta stated, not questioned, '_The legend says that the first King of Saijins made this sword from his very own will. He wished it into existence by using his heart and soul._' Goku tried to pay attention to the story and fight at the same time, a very distracting mix.

'_It was said that when he died, all his power went into the sword. The next king that inherited the sword used it well and respected it. After he too died, the power of the sword increased. The power of the kings has been passed down from generation to generation. It hasn't been used in over two thousand years. It became a rumor, a legend,_' Vegeta continued, keeping Goku on his toes all the while, '_And you know how it is about legends, Kakkarot. You see, the only reason that I'm able to use this sword is because I willed myself to. I believe, just as I believed in the Super Saijin. The power of the kings flow through me as well, that is why I know how to use it. That is why even a Super Saijin will be unable to defeat this sword._' At that moment Vegeta gave a powerful swing, knocking Trunks' sword out of Goku's hands.

'_Defeat the sword? Never,_' Goku agreed, his face suddenly becoming solemn and calm. Vegeta lunged, but Goku was faster. '_Defeat the swordsman? Out of necessity_,' the younger Saijin said with a twinge of guilt. Vegeta fell forward onto Goku, looking up at him with surprised eyes of black liquid. The prince attempted to breathe, sporadic gasps filling the air.

'_I lost...again... I lost..._' Vegeta unknowingly shared his thoughts before his eyes rolled back and he slumped unconscious. Goku caught him, sighing deeply with regret as he released the prince's tail.

At the last part of their fight, when Vegeta had knocked the sword out of his hand, he noticed something he hadn't before: Vegeta didn't have his tail wrapped around his waist, and it swung out, as he assumed, mostly for balance. Though knowing that the sword was more than capable of finishing him off, the dirty move had been his only hope, and so, as Vegeta lunged, Goku turned sideways and leaned over, grabbing his tail in a tight grasp. The pain, he knew, would be unbearable.

He set the prince down, feeling extremely awful. He knew how bad it hurt when someone grabbed his tail and he had just knocked Vegeta out by simply doing so. '_Please forgive me, Vegeta_,' Goku sent the message to the prince, even though he was almost positive the smaller man couldn't hear him. A silence fell upon the lookout, everyone trapped in their own thoughts.

'What a coward I am,' Trunks thought to himself, sighing deeply, 'I again did nothing to prevent this. Why can't I?' A small groan informed all the people present that Vegeta was awakening.

"Vegeta? Are you ok?" Goku asked, his eyebrows knit together in worry. The prince sat up, his scowl on his face. He overlooked his tail to make sure nothing was broken before he stood. "Vegeta?" Goku asked, standing as well.

Vegeta huffed, giving a slight growl as he spoke, "Fuck you." He ran to the edge of the lookout and blasted out of sight.

"Well," Goku pathetically tried to stay optimistic, "at least he's talking again."


	9. Paying Homage to the Lifeless

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 8**  
aka **Paying Homage to the Lifeless**  
  
_"Recognition, Restoration, Reparation/  
Recognition, Restoration, Reparation/  
Watch them all fall down/"_  
-System of a Down "P.L.U.C.K"  
  
Goku sat at the edge of a river bank, his legs dangling in the water, quietly swishing back and forth in boredom. The dull roar of the nearby waterfall calmed his nerves slightly. He shifted his position a bit before leaning back and looking up at the sky. The soft grass felt pleasant against his naked form, and absent-mindedly he ran his hands through the blades.  
  
"I think you're misinterpreting the situation," a deep, slightly husky voice stated.  
  
Goku's eyes shifted towards the levitating Namek, a small sigh escaping him, "What's there to misinterpret? Vegeta hates me.."  
  
Piccolo grit his teeth lightly to relieve some frustration, "The fact is that if Vegeta really _did_ hate you he wouldn't have done so many things with you. He wouldn't of gone to see an _opera_ with you."  
  
Goku frowned a bit, interlacing his fingers and putting his hands behind his head, "I guess so..but he didn't know what an opera was."  
  
Piccolo sighed silently to himself before he gave up and floated down towards the Saijin. He sat down "Indian" style next to the shorter man, "Listen, Goku...Vegeta is in a very decisive point in his life. He is..breaking under pressure that has built up for years. He is a trained warrior, though you and I both know he is, or was, a murderer. Since he was a child he has served under Frieza - this much I do know - the extent of the tasks he had to perform under that tyrant are unknown to me, though I do know he has been killing practically his whole life.  
  
"Bad habits die hard, and old wounds rarely heal. I believe Vegeta is dealing with you the only way he knows how. Don't blame him, Goku; I know this isn't what he wants. If he really did want to kill you, he would've gone after you long ago and kept at it until he got what he desired. The only reason I think he's doing so now is because he's so confused he doesn't know what he wants."  
  
Goku looked into Piccolo's eyes, the Namek offering a sympathetic expression. "Look, didn't you tell me earlier that Vegeta had said to you that he was finally acting himself the night of your birthday?" Piccolo asked gruffly, a bit upset that Goku was feeling down.  
  
The shorter man gave a small nod, one eyebrow warily raising. "Maybe he was in a way," Piccolo suggested, "Because he was finally doing what he wanted to do and he forgot about everyone else. He also said he was sick of being who he was, yes? That just proves he wants a different lifestyle. He had been trying to gain acceptance, but failed to the point where he decided to revert back to his old ways. It's the _only_ way he knows how to act, Goku. If the others opened up to him, then Vegeta might calm down a bit. He'd most likely be skeptical at first, but after time he'd learn that you don't have to hide from everyone. Vegeta doesn't want to be who he is, but it's the only way he knows how to be."  
  
Goku sighed and rolled onto his side, looking down at the ground, "I understand. I just can't help thinking..."  
  
Piccolo made a slight growling noise, "Maybe you should stop thinking that way. I know you, Goku, and I haven't seen you think so negatively before. Has that ever won a battle?"  
  
Goku opened his mouth to say something, paused, and finally admitted, "No..but this isn't a battle."  
  
Piccolo huffed and folded his arms, "Could've fooled me. He attacked you twice."  
  
Goku flipped all the way onto his stomach, facing down, away from Piccolo, "That's different.."  
  
Piccolo replied, "Oh yeah? How?"  
  
The full-blooded Saijin fumbled for a response, "Uh...because..Vegeta wasn't...um...."  
  
Piccolo sighed, again appearing sympathetic, "Look, Goku. The fact of the matter is you can't fix all of these problems by yourself. If you want Vegeta to be happy you're going to have to make a huge attempt to show him how you feel."  
  
Goku blushed a bit, looking up briefly before hiding his face again, "You say it like I have a crush on him or something."  
  
Piccolo noticed the color that came to Goku's face, "Well, for one who's denying attraction I find it interesting how one will blush at the notion, yet not at the fact of being naked in front of others."  
  
Goku's blush deepened at the truthfulness, "Piccolo, I....Are you teasing me?"  
  
Piccolo chuckled lowly, a small mischievous smirk on his face, "Maybe, but that's not really the point, is it? Goku, you have to understand that friends to Vegeta are rare and greatly needed. When I feel the time is right, I too will approach him and ask to be his friend."  
  
Goku's head instantly turned towards the green-skinned man, "Are you serious??"  
  
Piccolo gave a nod, his expression solemn, though relaxed, "I have pondered this dilemma for many nights now. Ever since the androids first arrived, in fact. To be honest, I began to believe I was a bit cowardice to wait so long, but now I see it's for the better. As Trunks has realized, I too know that you're the only one who is able to get through to Vegeta. It's a great deal of pressure to put upon you, but it is the truth. I also know you well enough to not give up; that is why I have faith in you."  
  
Goku pushed himself up into a sitting position, still looking at the ground, "Thanks, Piccolo, I'm not sure what to say.."  
  
Piccolo stood, his smirk returning, "How does 'I'm going to put some clothes on now' sound?"  
  
Goku burst out laughing, grabbing his attire nearby, "I'm going to put some clothes on now!" Piccolo turned away to give him some privacy, floating up to his normal meditation level. Goku slipped on his boxer shorts and quickly pulled on his pants. After tying the belt around his waist, both Goku and Piccolo's heads shot up. "That ki.." Goku trailed off in surprise.  
  
Piccolo snarled at the bad vibes of the situation, "It feels like yours, Goku."  
  
The Saijin hastily finished dressing, his composure becoming completely serious, "Let's go check it out!"  
  
***  
  
Vegeta was livid. He was far beyond upset, beyond angry. This was full-fledged rage that made adrenaline pump and blood flow. It caused his destructive powers to emerge ready and willing. How much humiliation would he have to endure? How many times would he put himself into this predicament?  
  
Every time he thought he had the upper edge, he suddenly lost. Every time he started to win, he was struck down. Why?  
  
Why!?  
  
Why did it have to be this way? Why couldn't he just get a grip on his life? He couldn't. He hadn't been able to. Not since his first defeat. Not since Kakkarot. He gave in, let go, just drifted away when Frieza took his life. He became what he had feared to become: worthless. There was no point to his existence.  
  
He wasn't strong enough to rule, or strong enough to prevent others from ruling. He had no family, no friends, no home. He had nothing. There was no point in his living or his death. He had nothing to look forward to. Nothing save revenge.  
  
No, not even revenge, really. It was anger that was the pathway.  
  
Anger opened the door and became the conduit for his pain. His pain made him angry, which completed the circuit.  
  
When he was angry, it brought out something in him. It wasn't the Saijin - the "animal" - in him; it wasn't the purger he'd been raised to be; it was simply a force on its own. It was who Vegeta tried so hard to resist being. It wanted to claim the lives of others. It wanted power. It wanted control. It wanted its pride back.  
  
Each death was a sacrifice to himself, in hope that he could actually _live_.  
  
How many had paid the price? Hundreds, thousands, millions of people were slaughtered, butchered, murdered by him.  
  
Yet, none had perished since his pride was destroyed. He had taken no toll since his resurrection. He had not taken any "homage". Why not now, just when he needed it most?  
  
The answer was simple: he had kept it at bay. At first, he was distracted by his sudden redemption to Earth. However, when the novelty wore off, he felt the gnawing of a bitter depression.  
  
He had failed miserably. If he had killed Frieza, would it of changed anything? No. His home would be destroyed , his family dead, and himself still in shambles. He would've felt better though. It would have given him hope.  
  
He'd always spent his time redirecting his sadness. He'd push it through the pathway and transcend it to anger. The anger he could outlet. He could manage the anger easily. There was always more than enough carnage to dish out. Depression had never been an issue.  
  
Coming back to Earth, he felt wasted, drained, exhausted. He trained sporadically. At times, he would become motivated to catch up to Goku. He trained endlessly at those times, straining his body and his mind. In the end, it always came back to the same thing: he wasn't good enough. The Prince of Saijins was weaker than a third class nobody. The Prince of Saijins who had no Saijins to rule. The Prince of Saijins who stood against the universe, alone. So instead, he elected to never train seriously.  
  
There was too much free time on his hands. Too many opportunities to let that certain, specific anger come out. He had needed a distraction - something to make him forget what a worthless sack of shit he was. Alcohol was the medium. The booze washed away the pain, so in turn it prevented the anger from arising. Being sober made him think about his aimless, pointless existence; so he tried not being in that state of mind as often as possible.  
  
And then came Kakkarot. His life was a beautiful mess before Kakkarot spawned into it. It only furthered complications. He had tried not to deeply question the black-haired man's reasoning. Perhaps, deep down, he had wished that it wasn't fake kindness.  
  
He couldn't comprehend the other Saijin, and he never really thought of it, but maybe Kakkarot didn't understand him either. Since he couldn't quite read him, he tried to believe that Kakkarot did not have ill intentions. He tried, with much difficulty, to kid himself into believing that the younger man was honest. After all, who would seriously want to befriend their sworn enemy?  
  
Then, time passed. Months went by, and Kakkarot became an...ally. He would never dare call anyone his friend. He simply could not fathom how people, so blindingly, put trust into one another; but he was getting an idea. Kakkarot may have been his enemy, but he did save his life.  
  
Yet, Freiza would have acted the same.  
  
Yet, Freiza and Kakkarot were two completely different people. They were nothing alike.  
  
Kakkarot.  
  
It always came back to Kakkarot.  
  
He had put his trust into the man. He had forfeited safety in exchange for..happiness. If he could call it that, he wasn't quite sure. Relief and satisfaction he knew, but happiness - true happiness - he wasn't exactly sure what that was anymore.  
  
Now that he thought of it, the angrier he became. It wasn't simply the fact that Goku asked Zarbon - of all people - it was that it was a very personal subject. That type of subject could relate to information that could hurt him, and he did not want it shared. This put him in a position where he'd willing put his trust into someone who could easily hurt him.  
  
Vegeta was furious at himself.  
  
The prince sat, seething. He stared at his clenched fists. They shook as the knuckles turned white and his joints began to ache.  
  
Kakkarot, Kakkarot, Kakkarot.  
  
His gaze suddenly turned towards the horizon.  
  
Kakkarot, what have you got yourself into?  
  
***  
  
Eighteen slammed against the nearby wall, which cracked under the force. She fell to the ground panting, trying to catch the breath that was knocked out of her. Another form was suddenly next to her, and she looked up to find Sixteen. He knelt and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, lifting her up, "Eighteen, what is going on?"  
  
The blond winced as she moved, keeping one of her eyes closed, "I don't know exactly. Seventeen and I were just taking a walk through the garden, when out of nowhere this..thing attacked us!"  
  
Sixteen nodded, walking them over to a nearby bench, "Stay here, I'm going to go after Seventeen." She nodded, still gasping for air as the taller android left her to go scout out her brother. Sixteen ran off into the direction he sensed his friend, who was about a half of a mile away from where he was. He arrived to see Seventeen on his hands and knees, breathing hard. The attacker was about to make his next move, so Sixteen leapt into the air, slamming himself down onto the back of whoever this person was. The assailant fell to the ground in shock, looking over their shoulder at the android.  
  
"Another one? Who are you?" the person asked in a raspy voice.  
  
Sixteen leapt back to give them room, "I am Android Sixteen. Who are you?"  
  
The person - or thing with humanoid characteristics - gave an overly friendly smile, "You don't know?"  
  
The red-head looked over the person before him, noting the two toned green skin with dark spots, and the interesting shape of the head and tail. It looked like a cross between an insect and a human - something Sixteen was positive he hadn't seen before, "No."  
  
The creature grinned, amusement in its eyes, "My name is Cell, and I too, am an android."  
  
Seventeen finally regained his composure, "Careful Sixteen! He's more powerful than he looks!" Sixteen took a fighting pose, giving a nod in his friend's direction.  
  
"Oh, are you going to fight me?" Cell asked with a chuckle, "Very well then, let's get it on."  
  
Sixteen leapt forward, intending to punch Cell's face, but the monster blocked the attack with his forearm. Another fist followed the first swing's lead, but Cell copied his motions as well, successfully stopping the attack. Cell's arms twisted around, grabbing Sixteen's forearms and pulling them together swiftly, knocking their heads. Slightly dazed, Sixteen stumbled back, shaking his head to clear it. He tried to kick with his right foot, but Cell grabbed it. He started to twist so Sixteen turned his body as well to avoid pain. He was upside down on his hands when he finally lifted his leg and kicked Cell in the gut. Surprised, Cell let go of Sixteen's foot, taking a step back to massage his injury. With a glare, Cell blurred in front of Sixteen, punching him hard in the jaw. The android was knocked back a couple of feet, groaning at the ache in his face.  
  
Cell turned his attention back to Seventeen, "We will finish this. I have waited too long to toy around."  
  
Seventeen put himself into a defensive stance, "I'll never give up without a fight!"  
  
Cell licked his lips in anticipation, "That's good. A little fun and a taste of perfection all in one." He crouched low, ready to lunge, when Sixteen's arms wrapped around him, squeezing him tight.  
  
"Leave Seventeen alone!" Sixteen demanded. The other android would have none of it, flipping them both over so that Sixteen slammed into the ground, Cell on top of him. Cell's tail helped him push away from Sixteen as his true intent was still waiting an attack.  
  
Cell leapt forward, aiming to punch Seventeen's face, though the android was able to dodge. He spun around, trying to kick Cell in the face, though he too missed his opponent. Cell did a punch and kick combo, successfully landing a hit on the black-haired man. Stumbling to the side, Seventeen threw a ki ball at the other android, causing Cell to grunt in pain. Seventeen launched into the air, dealing out a series of ki blasts toward his enemy, which left Cell's overall damage amount at a minimal despite how hard Seventeen tried.  
  
Suddenly, Cell was gone from his vision and Seventeen was knocked to the ground. Stumbling to catch his balance, he was unable to see anything but the ground and his feet. He heard Cell curse as another ki blast hit him, this time coming from Sixteen. Cell launched one back at the red-head who barely rolled out of the way in time. Seventeen, finally regaining his strength, stood and turned around to see Cell with his tail pointed at him.  
  
"Seventeen!" Sixteen shouted, launching off the ground to knock Cell away, but the android flexed his ki, blowing him several meters into the distance. Seventeen gathered his ki and let a large ball loose on Cell, shocked to find that it barely scratched the android. Stepping backwards, he tried a kick, but Cell didn't even flinch.  
  
"What in the!?" Seventeen gasped, scared and baffled all at once. The tail's tip opened wide and Seventeen didn't know exactly what to think except that it seemed rather gross.  
  
"No! Seventeen!" Sixteen screamed, pushing himself up off of the ground. The black-haired man attempted to stop Cell, but all of his attacks were useless. Sixteen got up, feeling slightly dizzy as he supposed he hit his head a bit too hard, "Seventeen, run!" The android turned, trying to get away, but Cell's tail lunged and grabbed him like a snake after a rat. Sixteen tackled Cell as hard as he could, but he only ended up hurting himself. The android forced Seventeen up his tail while he threw Sixteen as hard as he could, watching with a smile as the android became a speck in the sky. He shivered in delight, feeling perfection coming closer.  
  
Sixteen crashed into the patio furniture, luckily hurting the furniture more than hurting himself. Eighteen rushed to his side, worry and panic in her features, "Where's Seventeen!?"  
  
Sixteen let his eyes focus, "I'm sorry, Eighteen."  
  
The blond curled her hands into fists, "No! Don't give me that! Where is Seventeen!?"  
  
Sixteen rubbed his temple slightly as his vision blurred again, "I think I have a concussion.."  
  
Eighteen slapped him hard across the face, "Damnit, Sixteen! Where is Seventeen!?"  
  
An odd voice answered her, "Don't worry, you'll soon be joining him soon."  
  
The blond spun around to see what looked similar to her previous attacker, "What! Who are you and what have you done to Seventeen!?"  
  
The new and improved Cell grinned wickedly at her, "I'm Cell, we've fought briefly before. As for your brother, he is now part of me. As you shall soon be."  
  
Eighteen's eyes widened in terror, "No!"  
  
Cell chuckled, his tail moving upward, "Oh yes. You see, Androids Seventeen and Eighteen were meant to be absorbed by me, to give me perfection. I was programmed to do this."  
  
Eighteen quickly rubbed her sleeve against her face to remove any tears that had escaped, "You can expand beyond your programming like we have!"  
  
Cell's grin didn't leave his face, "Perhaps. But I do not wish to." Eighteen ground her teeth together, taking a defensive stance.  
  
"No, Eighteen, run!" Sixteen demanded, standing up and pushing her.  
  
Cell growled at him, "You're a bit persistent aren't you? Well, you're also a bit _annoying_. Let's see how you'll handle _this_!" Cell turned his body at an angle, moving his hands back, "Ka...me...ha...me...haaa!!" Sixteen put his arms up to block the blast, though it was too much for him to take, much less deflect. The blast ripped through him, tearing him into two jagged pieces. Groaning, Sixteen complained about being made too humanoid as he fell to the ground with a distinct clatter of metallic parts. Though he wouldn't die unless his head was destroyed, the pain he felt almost made him wish he was dead.  
  
Cell turned to capture the other android only to find her as a speck in the sky. "She'll never get away from me in time," Cell muttered with a shake of his head, "Pathetic how they try." Cell promptly flew off into the distance. A few moments later, two figures appeared.  
  
"G-Goku," Sixteen stuttered, trying to crane his head for a better view.  
  
Goku gasped as he saw the condition the android was in, "Oh my god! Sixteen!"  
  
The red-head attempted to chuckle and only ended up coughing instead, "Don't worry, I can be repaired. You must go find Eighteen, she is in danger."  
  
Goku's eyebrows furrowed, "What?"  
  
Sixteen coughed again, "Cell..he's attacking her. He's going to absorb her."  
  
"Cell!? But we destroyed him when he was still incubating in the lab! I saw it with my own eyes!" Goku protested, unable to believe his ears.  
  
"I do not understand it myself, Goku, but it is true," Sixteen said, groaning quietly and wincing.  
  
With a fierce nod, Goku stood up and turned to Piccolo, "I want you to take Sixteen inside to Bulma and then gather everyone up! Go get some senzu beans as well, and please talk to Kami! He might know more about this than us." Piccolo nodded, picking up the two halves of the android as Goku blasted into the air. The Saijin felt a faint ki signature towards the north, deciding it was best to follow that.  
  
***  
  
Piccolo carefully rushed through the hallways before he finally gave up and called out, "BULMA! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!"  
  
The blue-haired lady's voice came from the distance, "Well! What kind of greeting is that!? Totally uncalled for and-" She froze when Piccolo came into view. She rushed to his side, "Oh my god! What happened!?"  
  
Piccolo set Sixteen down as gently as he could, "A fight. Fix him up, I've got to go. If you see Trunks, or Zarbon, tell them to go to Kami's lookout."  
  
Bulma hefted up Sixteen with difficulty, "Okay.."  
  
Piccolo rushed out the door and blasted off into the skies at top speed, and within a matter of minutes, he landed in front of Master Roshi's house. He threw open the door and shouted inside, "Everyone! Go to Kami's NOW!" He didn't wait for a reply, merely taking off again. His next stop would be the most difficult, but he had already formulated a plan in his mind on how to handle it. Landing next to Goku's house, he crept around to Gohan's window, carefully pulling it open. "Hey kid," Piccolo greeted the demi-Saijin who was studying, "You got some spare time? We have to save the world."  
  
Gohan leapt up, retrieving a box that was under his bed. "It's begun already? How bad is it?" Gohan asked as he quickly changed into the battle gear he had acquired on Namek.  
  
"I'm not sure. Android Sixteen is badly injured," Piccolo informed, still leaning half way into the room.  
  
Gohan nodded and leapt into the outside world, "Let's go." They both made their way into the sky, stopping briefly to pick up some senzu beans. In a matter of minutes, the entire group of the Z warriors were gathered.  
  
"Hey Kami! Tell us what's up!" Piccolo demanded, setting his feet onto the stone floor.  
  
The older Namek seemed grave, "It's worse than I feared."  
  
Piccolo growled a bit, baring his teeth as he spoke, "I know - it's Cell! Now tell us something we don't know!"  
  
Kami seemed a bit irritated by Piccolo's impatience, "Cell has the ability to absorb living creatures. Though he has already done so, what I failed to see is that Cell can absorb other androids as well."  
  
Piccolo grit his teeth, knowing they had little time to act, "Get on with it!"  
  
Kami sighed harshly, "Cell has already absorbed Android Seventeen. He is after Android Eighteen at this very moment. I'm afraid even in this form he is more powerful than all of us."  
  
There was a brief period of silence.  
  
"So what do we do?" Krillin asked quietly.  
  
"Yeah, exactly," Yamcha added, "If he's more powerful than us, what _can_ we do?"  
  
Kami bowed his head for a moment before he looked up at Piccolo, "I believe that if we fuse we will have a chance at winning this."  
  
Piccolo took a step back in surprise before he folded his arms, "No way, old man. I won't do it."  
  
Kami took a few steps forward until he was in front of Piccolo, he then placed his hand on his shoulder, "Piccolo, please don't put personal feelings in between us and victory. I have thought a great deal about this. If you and I fuse you will not only be stronger, but smarter."  
  
Piccolo huffed, looking elsewhere for a moment, "I don't know about this."  
  
Kami tilted his head so he looked into Piccolo's eyes, "Please, Piccolo. Think about this as well: if you die in this battle then the dragonballs will disappear."  
  
The younger Namek shook his head, "If I become stronger and still die, then the dragonballs will _still_ disappear."  
  
Kami smirked a bit, "Not necessarily. You see, I've already thought about this." Kami shifted his position, removing his hand from Piccolo's shoulder, "I had Mr. Popo retrieve all seven dragonballs. My plan is to summon the dragon and have someone wished to be taken to the new Namek. From there they can find a new guardian and bring them home."  
  
Piccolo thought the plan over in his head, "I think it's half-baked, but I guess it's our only option. So who's up to going to Namek?"  
  
Yamcha raised his hand in the air, "I would. I was dead last time so I wasn't able to see it. Besides, I wouldn't do much in this fight."  
  
Kami nodded, turning to him, "Than you may go. This is a solo mission. Now we just need to make the wish." The elder Namek went inside for a moment before returning with Mr. Popo and the seven dragonballs, which were carried by the servant's magic carpet. The ornate rug lowered to the ground and the process of summoning the dragon began.  
  
***  
  
Goku finally caught sight of two figures, triple-checking to make sure he had his ki masked. It was Eighteen alright, and Goku assumed the strange creature that was chasing after her was Cell. 'Dr. Gero sure didn't do good in the looks department,' Goku thought to himself as he made sure to keep himself hidden from sight. Cell reminded him of a cross between a frog, an insect of some sort, and a human. His eyes noticed Cell's tail and he paled slightly as the tip reminded him of a needle. Shuddering, he crept closer and closer, impressed that Eighteen was holding her own.  
  
"Give it up!" Cell roared with delight, "You will become a part of me eventually!"  
  
Eighteen leapt back, barely able to escape as Cell lunged for her again, "Yeah, well, Seventeen would never give up!"  
  
Cell paused and landed, putting his hands on his hips, "Is that what you're worried about? I can let you talk to him." Eighteen blinked, unsure of the entire situation. There was a pause before Cell opened his mouth again, his voice sounding just like Seventeen's, "Hey, Eighteen. It's really me, Seventeen. I want to tell you not to be afraid like I was. Being absorbed isn't a bad thing, Eighteen, really. I thought it'd be bad too, but it isn't. It feels awesome to be this strong, Eighteen. Please..join me..."  
  
Goku could sense the trickery a mile away - which was rather accurate considering his distance from the pair - and he cursed mentally. '_Don't do it, Eighteen_,' Goku attempted to tell her telepathically, though he knew it would probably have no effect at all, '_He's lying, Eighteen! Don't believe him!_'  
  
The blond seemed to think about it for a moment before she took up a fighting stance, "You're lying! Seventeen would've never given up his freedom, even if it was for more power! Idiot! Why do you think he killed Dr. Gero!?"  
  
Cell frowned, grinding his heel into the dirt, "Fine. I see we'll have to do this the hard way." They stared at each other for a moment before he began to circle. Nervous, Eighteen made sure to keep her distance from him, and especially his tail, which had tried to grab her on more than one occasion. The green android finally made his move, leaping at her with a howl. She ducked and dropped onto her hand for balance, swinging her leg around and tripping him. Continuing her motion, she let herself spin around as she got to her feet, backing away from Cell again.  
  
She prayed for a distraction, so that she could flee and hide. She wondered momentarily how Cell had found them at Capsule Corp anyway. He slowly got to his feet, keeping a keen eye on his prey. He leapt again, attempting to grab her though she leapt to her side, rolled, and got to her feet again. It seemed that even though Cell was stronger now, he wasn't faster than Eighteen. Growling, the larger android made another lunge, which turned out to be a failure.  
  
"Damn you!" he cursed, sending a ki blast at her. She gasped and put her arms up to block it, though she fell back a few feet. Cell charged, his tail lifting high. Her eyes wide with shock, she barely rolled out of the way in time as the tail smashed into the ground where she used to be. Goku kept crawling a bit closer and closer, being extremely cautious. The blond let out a blast at Cell's head which he simply batted away. Surprised, Eighteen scrambled backwards, somehow managing to get to her feet. She let out another blast which, again, was swatted away like it was nothing. Desperately, she tried over and over, but she didn't even scratch the other android. Finally, panting, she gave up, merely stepping back and away from Cell. His tail moved into position, ready to make the final move.  
  
"NO!" she screamed racing towards him in a last ditch effort. Her fists flew at him faster than before, but she was only lucky enough to land a few punches before Cell grabbed her arms to hold her still. Giving a yelp, she struggled to get free, "Let me go!" Goku stood up, ready to make his move when suddenly the sky turned completely black.  
  
'What!?' Goku thought, looking up as erratic lighting crossed the sky, 'Someone's calling the dragon??'  
  
Cell looked around, wondering what was going on as well. The only person who didn't get distracted seemed to be Eighteen who slipped free from Cell's grasp and began to run. Cell made a lunge for her, but dirt was kicked up into his eyes by a ki blast that disturbed the ground. Cussing, Cell rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his vision. Eighteen fled into a nearby forest, running as fast as she could. In a matter of seconds, the sky cleared, and Cell could also see again. He shouted in frustration, "Damnit! Which way did she go!?" Taking to the skies, he guessed a direction and blasted off.  
  
***  
  
Yamcha appeared on a strange planet with a green sky. He didn't have time to truly look around as he had appeared in the middle of a village. A crowd instantly gathered, one Namek stepping forward, "Are you friend or foe?"  
  
Yamcha rubbed the back of his head, nervous, "A friend, you guys. A friend of Goku's in fact."  
  
The Nameks instantly brightened. "You know Goku?" one asked excitedly.  
  
Yamcha nodded, a warm smile on his face, "Knew him since he was a kid. I came here over serious matters, however." His expression dropped a bit, "You see, some android named Cell is attacking the Earth. Kami and Piccolo are going to fuse so we need a new Guardian of Earth. Would anyone like to volunteer?"  
  
A young boy's voice called from the back, "I would!" The crowd parted, making way for the boy.  
  
"My name is Dende and I'd love to help out your people like you have mine!" the small Namek announced, running up to Yamcha.  
  
"That's great, kid! You think you can make a set of dragonballs though?" the desert bandit said teasingly.  
  
The Elder Namek spoke up, "Though Dende is young, he blessed with the special gift of healing people, and keeping a cool head. He will make a fine guardian."  
  
Yamcha cheered as it seemed luck was smiling upon him, "Alright then, we have to go!" Yamcha reached into his pocket and removed the dragon radar. Clicking it on, he gave directions to each dragon ball, hoping for a hasty leave.  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile, on Earth, another was about to depart. "Goodbye Mr. Popo," Kami said with a small, reassuring smile, "You're been a good friend all these years, but this is something that I must do."  
  
The black man had tears running down his cheeks; he gave a nod, "I understand, Kami. I'll miss you so very, very much."  
  
The old Namek gave a nod, "Do not worry, there will be a new guardian to look after soon enough."  
  
Kami composed himself and turned towards Piccolo, "Are you ready?"  
  
The younger man nodded, "Yeah, I'm not to sure what to do though."  
  
Kami closed his eyes briefly, preparing himself, "Open your hand and place it on my chest."  
  
Piccolo hesitantly reached forward, his palm pressing against Kami's chest, "Now what...?"  
  
The older Namek smiled warmly, "I shall do the rest." Piccolo jolted slightly as it felt like electricity was running through him. Not a painful amount, but enough to make him jump. Both of their bodies began to glow white. Piccolo's eyes shut tightly as the surge intensified, coursing through every vein inside his body. The glow grew brighter, radiating with intensity. It seemed overwhelming and consuming, and Piccolo ground his teeth together at the incredibly odd sensation that surged through him. There was a rather small flash, and then, the light was gone, along with Kami. The late guardian's staff fell onto the stone floor with a clunk. Piccolo collapsed onto one knee, panting slightly.  
  
"Piccolo, are you ok?" Gohan asked quietly, looking terribly worried at the condition his mentor was in.  
  
"Yes," Piccolo replied after a moment, "I think I finally am." Mr. Popo picked up Kami's staff, holding back tears as his long time friend was now gone.  
  
"Let's hope Yamcha gets back soon," Krillin pointed out, unsure of what to make of the newly transformed Piccolo.  
  
"We're going to have to act first," Piccolo stated, gaining everyone's full attention, "Goku is out there by himself chasing after Cell, you all better catch up. I'll be fine here, I'll clue Yamcha in when he gets here." The Z warriors turned to leave when Zarbon and Trunks landed.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" Trunks asked, looking around in confusion, "I just stepped in and Bulma said to come here. I ran into Zarbon on the way so I brought him along."  
  
Piccolo was as brief as possible, "Kami and I fused. Yamcha went to the new Namek to get a new guardian. Cell absorbed Android Seventeen. Goku has gone after Cell alone. Cell is after Eighteen. Any questions?" Trunks blinked slowly to clear his head..he would have never dreamed that he'd end up trying to save the androids' lives!  
  
With a defeated sigh, Trunks gave a nod, "Right. We better go help Goku as everything seems under control here."  
  
***  
  
Goku debated for a moment whether he should follow after Eighteen, or Cell. 'I'd be no good to Eighteen and I could even expose her with my ki,' Goku thought for a moment, 'I should go after Cell and distract him if he gets too close to her.' Over viewing his plans again, he leapt into the air, going after Cell. The first few minutes were what would be considered normal for the situation. Cell looked back and forth while cursing to himself, and Goku carefully followed behind. However, Cell abruptly stopped in mid-air.  
  
'Oh shit,' Goku stopped as well, 'He knows he's being followed.' Putting two fingers to his forehead he disappeared exactly when Cell spun around. The large green android surveyed the surrounding area to make sure he was alone when he spotted some company nearby. His lips upturned into a vicious smirk as he dove down faster than most of the Z fighters would've been able to see.  
  
'Oh shit! No!' Goku swore to himself again, watching from the distance in mute terror as Cell dove down. Even if he used his instant transmission, it'd be too late. Eighteen heard a slight buzzing and turned to find the source when a shadow overcast her. The last image she saw before she was enveloped in darkness was that of Cell's evil grin. Goku cursed for a few seconds, blaming himself completely for not taking action sooner, 'Damnit! I'm sorry, Kami! Please forgive me, everyone!'  
  
He watched as Cell's body began its metamorphosis, energy dancing around him like lightning, a glow encasing him and growing brighter by the second. 'He's so strong!' Goku gaped as wild winds tousled his hair, 'My god....he's so _strong_!' Cell's maniacal laughter was sent through the landscape nearby, the hills echoing the strange half-transformed voice, adding to the eeriness it already possessed. Goku watched, his mind desperately trying to decide on what to do. He was about to make the leap into Super Saijin mode when he faintly heard someone call his name. Spinning around he saw his fellow fighters approaching. "Stay back!" he warned, flying towards them, "Don't let him see you yet!"  
  
The group drew back towards the ground, keeping a wary eye on the newest android. "Goku, what are we going to do??" Krillin asked, his voice hiding his panic. He, as well as the other warriors, could sense how powerful Cell was, and it was more intense than all of them combined.  
  
"He's not expecting us to all attack at once," Goku threw out, running a nervous hand through his hair, "So we'll split up and charge him."  
  
Trunks looked at the ground for a moment, then over at Cell, "Do you think that's wise? Goku, I don't think that even both of us would be able to kill him.." The full-blooded Saijin tugged at his ebony locks in frustration, "I can't think of a better plan to do! It's now or never, guys!"  
  
The storm vanished as quickly as it came, and the group peered over at the newly transformed creature. 'He looks so human now,' Goku thought to himself, being captured by the hard, red eyes.  
  
Zarbon finally spoke up, "I'll go in first, Goku. I'll give you the best distraction that I can."  
  
The Saijin tensed briefly at the sound of the alien's deep voice, "Alright then. Zarbon, attack him head on from the north. Tien and Trunks, I want you coming it at angles towards Cell's sides, head in a southern direction. Krillin and Gohan, I want you to keep your distance and attack with your ki from angles facing north. I'll come in directly behind him. Got it?" The group nodded in agreement. "Then go, Zarbon!" Goku gestured for him to leave, the alien blasting off. "Let's move guys!" Goku said before leaping into take position towards the south.  
  
Cell flexed his new body, looking at it in admiration, 'I feel as light as a feather!' He did a few experimental punches and kicks, chuckling with elation at the ease of his actions. A movement caught his eye and he looked up in time to see a fist flying at him. He leaned back and grabbed the arm that swung past him, pulling the attacker closer as his other hand flew into their gut. Zarbon grunted in pain, refusing to give up so easily; he hooked his leg around Cell's and attempted to pull the android down. Cell grabbed his other arm and twisted him around, causing Zarbon to fall to the earth. He was about to make some taunting remark when a ki blast hit him, causing little to no damage. Glaring, he turned to see a short, bald human with his palms outstretched towards him.  
  
"How pathetic, Krillin!" Cell called out, charging up a ki blast of his own. A moment later a body slammed into him from his left side and a ki blast grazed his head. Stumbling, he was able to catch himself to find that Tien was the one who was latching onto him. He growled lowly, about to swat the three-eyed man away when someone else elbowed his back. A swift kick was made to the back of his knee, causing him to falter, and then, an astounding kick sent him flying forward.  
  
Shaking his head, Cell realized he needed to be more accustomed to his new transformation, 'So they want to play with fire, huh? Don't they know that when you play with fire you always get burned?' Flexing his ki, he blew the weakest of the Z fighters out of the immediate area. Goku, Trunks, and Zarbon were those that remained.  
  
Goku spun around towards the teen, "Trunks, now is not the time to keep secrets, you understand!?" The demi-Saijin gave a quick nod before he closed his eyes, gathering his ki. With a small explosion of energy, Trunks let his hair flair to life with flowing gold; an aura radiated around his body. Visions of the evil androids in his time flooded Trunks' mind as he charged towards Cell, overwhelmed by the abrupt emotions. The android looked at the teen with a unimpressed expression, spinning around at the last second and kicking Trunks' side, sending him sprawling into the dirt.  
  
"You aren't even powerful enough to keep me entertained," Cell said in disgust, marching over and placing his foot on Trunks' head, "Ah, Trunks, so good to see you again, by the way."  
  
Trunks wished to rub the dirt out of eyes, and he growled in between his coughing, "I don't know you, you bastard."  
  
Cell leaned, shifting his weight onto his foot, causing the purple-haired man to cry out in pain, "Yes, I'd assume so since I killed you where I come from. I guess meddling with the time stream has caused this to happen. I'll give your mother your regards, Trunks. Her name was Bulma, wasn't it? Such a weak woman... Hmm...And now that your father is alive, I'll be sure to send your dying words to Vegeta as well."  
  
Zarbon's eyes widened in confusion, 'What is that freak of nature talking about??'  
  
Goku's voice rang out with anger, "That's enough, Cell! Leave Trunks alone!" Cell looked at the other Super Saijin, a smirk upon his face.  
  
He ground his foot against Trunks just a bit to anger Goku even more, "Ah...Goku. The hero who saves the day. I hate to break it to you, my friend, but you are no match for me."  
  
The Saijin took up a battle stance, "We'll see. Now leave him alone!"  
  
Cell tsked, waving a finger as he ground his foot against Trunks' face, "You're in no position to make demands, Goku. You know as well as I do that I'm stronger. That's why you had everyone attack at once, isn't it?"  
  
Goku grit his teeth in frustration, "Fight me and you'll see."  
  
The android sighed, a grin spreading across his lips, "I suppose I shall." He lifted his foot to kick Trunks into a nearby tree. The teen clutched his head in one hand and his stomach in the other, wishing for the pounding to stop. It felt like that kick alone snapped a few ribs, and his head wasn't in any better condition.  
  
Swiftly, Cell launched himself at Goku, his fist slamming into the young Saijin's jaw with a sickening crack. Feeling thick, warm blood enter his mouth, Goku stumbled back to find Cell launching another attack. He attempted to block with his left arm, but when Cell's punch connected with the flesh, Goku yelped as he felt the bone shatter. Dear gods! Cell was so powerful he would tear him apart like tissue paper!  
  
Taking a few steps back to regain his composure, Goku spit out a mouthful of blood. His eyes hardened and he glared up at the android, thinking, 'I'm not going to let you do this, Cell. I'm not going to let you hurt everyone I care about. I have lived in this nightmare my whole life, and I'm not going to let you take this all away when I've worked so hard for it!' With a roar, Goku's aura burst into life, his body phasing out only to appear in front of Cell's, his fist connecting with the android's nose.  
  
Stunned, Cell placed a hand over the throbbing appendage. Making the mistake of blinking, Goku gained quite a few hits on his chest and stomach. A roundhouse kick was served in retaliation, but Cell moved up to block it. After doing so, he dropped down to the ground and kicked up with his feet, hitting Goku square in the chin. Another rush of blood filled the Saijin's mouth, and he stumbled, falling flat on his back, his head slamming into a rock. Vision blurred for a moment as his eyes began to throb dully with pain, the back of his head voicing its complaint as well. Fumbling around, not truly aware of what was going on, Goku somehow found his way onto his feet.  
  
He blinked to clear away the fogginess and found a large ki ball in front of Cell's hand, aimed directly towards him. His mouth opened to say something though there was nothing to say. God...this was it? It was all over already...?  
  
A voice shouted over the ache of his body and the heat of the battle, "Kakkarot, you idiot!" Goku blinked, completely convinced the voice was a figment of his own imagination. He saw Cell release the ki blast, and he was prepared for impact when his body was suddenly pushed roughly out of the way. He fell onto his side and looked up in time to see the blast smash into someone he didn't expect to see there. There was Vegeta. Vegeta. Vegeta was taking the blast that was intended for him. Oh god..Vegeta...!  
  
The prince could not even scream at the pain it was that powerful. For the briefest second he wondered why he had done this, but it was lost amongst the flood of agony that overcame his body. The blast tore at him, shredded him, like a vicious, angry monster, using its claws to tear him apart, and open, layer by layer. Then, the energy stopped its assault, and gasping, Vegeta fell to the ground.  
  
Goku could only stare for a moment, his breath ragged as he looked over the battered man. His midsection was torn clean open, blood splattered across his clothes, the smell of burnt flesh thick in the air. "V-Vegeta!!" Goku screamed in terror, crawling over to the smaller man, "Vegeta! Why!?" The prince choked on a response, finding difficulty in breathing. A burn came to Goku's eyes, "Damnit, you ---!! Just hold on!!" With newfound power, the Super Saijin immediately launched an attack on the android, his thoughts swirling out of control, 'I'll kill you for hurting him!!'  
  
Cell hissed as he felt a bone in his face crack under Goku's assaulting fist. Rearing back, he aimed a kick towards the hero which Goku narrowly missed. "Makankosappo!" a gruff voice shouted, a large beam blasting Cell down into the earth. Goku paused momentarily to see who it was that had joined him.  
  
Seeing Piccolo, he yelled out orders, "Go help the injured!" Cell snarled as he leapt to his feet, throwing a ki blast towards the Namek while doing so. Piccolo was able to avoid it and he moved his way down towards the nearest person, which was Vegeta. Goku landed another punch, satisfied when a spray of blood began to stream from Cell's nose. Suddenly, Goku found himself tumbling across the ground, his ribs crying out with each roll. Growling, the android blasted Piccolo away from Vegeta, the ki forcing its way through the Namek's body, leaving a half-dollar sized hole in his chest. He noticed the approaching kis of the others, and prepared to get rid of them all.  
  
Krillin leapt forward to be knocked back a moment later with a broken arm included. Tien found himself in a similar situation, as his one leg no longer had use. Zarbon was next with various injuries severe enough to incapacitate him. Gohan seemed to be the only one strong enough to get past the creature's defenses as he grabbed Cell's tail and slammed him into the ground. Goku leapt into the air as Gohan let out a flurry of ki blasts at the android, before he too, was swatted away.  
  
The young full-blooded Saijin came down with astounding speed, expecting to thrust his elbow into Cell's gut when all he found was dirt. Spinning around, it was already too late as a fist knocked his head to the side, making the world spin out of control. "I guess I _will_ toy with you a bit longer," Cell murmured, kicking Goku repeatedly in the side, earning a painful cry each time he did so.  
  
Krillin pulled himself up, wheezing a bit, "Guys...we have to....do something....otherwise...Goku..."  
  
Tien moaned, clutching his broken limb, "What can we do...Krillin? I hurt so much...I can barely move..."  
  
Krillin looked over at Trunks, "Hey...Trunks......Trunks!....Trunks?" Blinking, the human realized that the teenager was unconscious. He fixed his gaze onto Zarbon to see that the alien was in just as bad condition as the rest of them. It seemed like this was it.  
  
***  
  
Vegeta rasped for air, wondering why he just didn't give up and let death take him. It would definitely be better than what he was feeling right now, that was for certain. 'Too bad,' he thought, a smirk tugging on his rapidly cooling lips, 'I wanted to be modern art when I died.'  
  
Goku's cries rang out louder as the android continued to beat and torture him for personal amusement. Vegeta strained to see what was going on, only to find that no one was helping the Saijin. 'If I just sit here..he'll die..' the prince thought, his expression blanking out, becoming void of emotion. He had a choice now: do something or die as a pathetic loser.  
  
Clenching his teeth, the older Saijin held his breath as he forced his legs to bend, 'Ah..so...the blast didn't ruin my spinal cord.' Shaking, the prince pulled himself up, using sheer will power, 'I can't let that idiot die because of some stupid suped-up tin can.' His arms pushed himself up into a sitting position, his legs shifted with his feet on the ground, and whining, he began to force himself up. He knew he wouldn't survive this, but perhaps he could atone. His body was damaged beyond repair. He felt cold, but knew he was sweating. The pain became numb, and the lack of feeling somehow _hurt_.  
  
Krillin saw a figure rise up in the distance, 'Vegeta...? Good lord, there's hope!'  
  
The prince stood and stumbled, gasping in mixture pain and shock. His hands caught some of his entrails as they spilled out of him, dangling over the ground. Blood flowed up his throat and out his mouth, thick, warm, and metallic. He lifted it back inside, and kept one hand over his wound, securely holding in his organs. Crimson seemed to be the only color in sight. 'Stupid body..' he berated, his breaths irregular, yet oddly silent. His feet slid one in front of the other in an odd limp. He heard Cell's laugh, cold and maniacal like his own had once been. When he had laughed. He never truly _laughed_. Goku was curled up in a bruised and bloody mess, somehow still retaining his Super Saijin form.  
  
A memory of the younger Saijin slipping on ice and falling on his ass came to the brunette. He _did_ laugh.  
  
Vegeta drew forth from the endless well of anger he possessed, his one hand clenching his intestines unknowingly, while the other curved in a slightly different form. He could only smell, taste, and feel his own blood as a maelstrom of rage filled him, consuming the empty spaces within him for the briefest of moments. The glow of energy extended from Vegeta's one hand as he dragged himself closer and closer to his target. The laughs Cell gave, and the painful moans Goku replied with, caused the prince to have tunnel vision. There was nothing left but the burning hatred he held onto, this burning that was tearing him apart. His hand lunged forward and Cell stopped his assault on the younger Saijin. Abruptly, everything became quiet.  
  
Vegeta withdrew his sword, watching as the android bled blood, though it was purple. It was a disappointment. Slowly, the creature turned around, his eyes wide with surprise, "Vegeta...?" The prince strived to intake air, his black eyes boring into Cell's and telling him things that the android thought no one would dare speak to him. The eyes contained more burning desire to kill than Cell himself could ever produce, and surprised, he found he could not move. He could _hear_ Vegeta's voice, albeit the Saijin did not speak: '_You do not touch Kakkarot without my permission. Your crimes are punishable by death._'  
  
Vegeta inhaled deeply, releasing his battle roar. The sound was purely animalistic: deep, guttural, yet somehow beautiful in its own way. It would also be the last thing the android would ever hear, as Vegeta swung his arm sideways with unparalleled speed. There was a moment's pause before Cell's head slid and rolled away from his tumbling body. Cringing, and with eyes half-lidded, Vegeta gathered the last of his energy dutifully. He growled at his body's protests, but was able to release the ki onto his enemy, eliminating every last cell. Immediately, the brunette collapsed, his sword fading out of existence.  
  
Goku forced his eyes open and begged for his ears to stop ringing. It felt like every part of him was on fire, and burning him from the inside out. His eyes caught a figure near him. A figure? Who was it...? A smaller figure than himself, with dark brown vertical spikes.. Vegeta! Vegeta was here! He felt himself inwardly smile as his body wouldn't allow for it to physically happen at the moment. 'Wait,' he thought to himself, as his memory began to return.  
  
His voice was hoarse and scratchy as he shouted out, "Vegeta!?" Pulling himself towards the older man he felt panic seep into him, "Vegeta!?" There was no response. Grabbing the prince and pulling him into an embrace, he nearly collapsed from exhaustion, "Hold on, Vegeta! It's going to be okay, I promise!" He looked around in desperation.  
  
"Don't you fucking die on me!" Kakkarot demanded of his prince.  
  
A/N: Goku fell temporarily unconscious during the time when Cell stopped beating him due to Vegeta's attack. Much thanks to Chibi Vegeta. Thankyouthankyouthankyou. 


	10. Masochistic Sadist

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 9**  
aka **Masochistic Sadist**  
  
_"But you gotta give it up to get off sometimes/  
You gotta give it up to get off sometimes/  
You gotta give it up to get off sometimes, I know/  
  
You'd better stop, stop, stop, using me up/  
You'd better stop, because I've had enough/  
and I'm ready to forget the reasons/  
that keep me here"_  
-Matchbox 20 "Stop"  
  
Nearly hyperventilating, Goku tried desperately to think of a way to save Vegeta. His heart pounded hard, his body aching in response to the new adrenaline rush. He looked down at the brunette and felt his throat tighten, almost cutting off his oxygen supply. He probably would've vomited, had he the strength, from not only the gruesomeness of the injury, but also from the threat of losing Vegeta. Frustrated, and nearly in a panic, Goku released a sharp howl, nuzzling his face against the prince. He couldn't lose Vegeta. Vegeta was special to him, even if it was Piccolo that had to make it clear to him.  
  
Goku was able to restrain a sob from escaping his battered body as he froze, realizing something he had forgotten in the fury of the battle. Piccolo. He had told Piccolo to get senzu beans. "PICCOLO!" Goku screamed, his voice ragged, his throat dry, "PICCOLO!!" Shakily forcing himself, the younger Saijin began to push himself to his feet, ignoring the various broken bones that wanted nothing more than to suffer without movement. Whimpering, the black-haired man half-limped half-crawled towards the Namek who looked like he was barely breathing. "Pi-Piccolo," Goku tried his best to call for his friend again, but his lungs felt thick, and his throat like sandpaper.  
  
Collapsing to his knees in front of the Namek, Goku nudged the prone figure, "Piccolo...the..senzus..." Piccolo's eyes opened slightly, two thin slits looking up at the Super Saijin. With a grunt, the Namek fumbled around and nudged at a small brown pouch at his hip. Goku took the hint and removed it, extracting a bean in the process. "Eat," Goku commanded, pushing the bean past Piccolo's lips, getting up once he noticed the Namek chewing.  
  
Racing back over to Vegeta's side, he checked the older man's pulse, relieved to find that it was still there, no matter how faint it was. '_Vegeta, wake up! I have a senzu bean, Vegeta!_' Goku mentally called out as he popped one into his mouth and began to chew. '_VEGETA!_' Goku's mental screams were loud enough to wake the dead, or near dead in this case. The prince made a tiny, almost inaudible, sound. It was evident that he wouldn't be able to swallow anything anytime soon, as it seemed he was having enough difficulty breathing.  
  
Without hesitation, Goku tipped Vegeta's head back and opened the prince's mouth. With a small breath Goku sealed his mouth over other Saijin's trying to coax the crushed senzu down Vegeta's throat. When the small brunette made a louder sound, Goku withdrew himself, watching the horrible wound repair. 'Oh thank god..' he thought, closing his eyes for a moment to regain his bearings. The soft pad of footsteps caused the younger man to turn his attention away from Vegeta.  
  
Piccolo spoke softly, extending his hand, "I'll heal the others." The black-haired man gave a nod, handing the pouch back to its owner who immediately ran to the nearest person.  
  
Blinking hard for a few times, Vegeta tried to understand what was occurring. Just a few moments before, he had felt so cold, yet comfortably numb, willingly falling into darkness; and now, the sun's rays were shining down upon him, warming his skin. His vision focused, pain no longer coursing through him, and curious, he ran his hand down his chest and across his stomach, not entirely surprised to find himself uninjured. He looked to his side, noticing that he was not alone, "Kakkarot.."  
  
Goku smiled weakly, scratching the side of his head nervously. Vegeta pushed himself up into a sitting position, licking his dry lips to taste the blood that was still there. Only after noticing this did he examine himself - his shirt was ruined as it now attributed a large hole as well as blood stains, the rest of his outfit, however, seemed nearly unscathed and in good condition. Taking a deep breath, the prince's tail curled partly, the tip beginning to twitch in uncertainty. "You are such an _idiot_, Kakkarot," Vegeta declared, taking himself to his feet.  
  
Goku frowned and stood up as well, "Vegeta-"  
  
The prince threw up his hand, "No. Stop. _Now._" Goku faltered for something to say or do, feeling discouraged by Vegeta's behavior. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again," Vegeta stated, trying to rub some blood off of his face and neck, "You're so incredibly moronic I can't even begin to describe it." Goku's expression fell, not even trying to resist the frown that came to his face; he had definitely not expected Vegeta to act like this, especially now. "I thought you couldn't get any stupider," the prince continued, brushing the dirt off of his clothes, "but obviously I was wrong."  
  
Goku sighed deeply, taking a step toward the older Saijin, "Vegeta.."  
  
The brunette stepped away, running a hand through his hair, his tail curling around his waist, "You expect me to be different, don't you? You want me to play the part of hero, don't you?"  
  
Goku shook his head, "No, no, Vegeta, I-"  
  
The shorter man interrupted him again, "You think I did all that to save your lame ass!? Well you're _wrong_! I did it all for _me_ because I wanted the glory! I'm not a weakling like you all believe!"  
  
A voice cut through the air like an arrow, "Oh god! Would you shut up!? I can't stand any more of your melodrama!"  
  
Goku grit his teeth slightly in frustration, trying his best to keep cool, "Zarbon, just stay out of this."  
  
The alien tossed his ponytail over his shoulder, out of the way, "Don't think you're special, Goku, he'd always make these speeches back in the day."  
  
The younger Saijin furrowed his eyebrows, his fists clenching, "Zarbon-"  
  
Vegeta shouted out over the taller man, partly because he wanted to purposely disrespect Goku, "Don't even get me started on you, Zarbon! You're not a perfect little angel like you make yourself out to be!"  
  
Trunks sat up with the aid of Piccolo, rubbing his scalp, amazed when the pain began to fade away, "Thank you, Piccolo."  
  
The Namek gave a nod, "No problem, kid. I'm glad I got to you when I did, you looked like you had major skull damage."  
  
Nodding in agreement, Trunks rubbed the back of his neck to relieve tension when a verbal argument finally reached their ears. "Oh no.." the demi-Saijin whispered, preparing himself to get up and jump into the dispute, but Piccolo stopped him.  
  
"It's not your time yet," the green-skinned man said, handing a senzu bean to him, "Give that to Tien. I've got Krillin."  
  
"Like you're any better than me, Vegeta!" Zarbon countered, calmly approaching the last two full-blooded Saijins.  
  
"Well at least _I_ don't degrade myself by fucking that whore of a poor excuse of an Earth woman!" Vegeta replied, seething - his throat rumbling with a rising growl.  
  
"Oh that's _IT_!" Zarbon screamed, gathering his ki.  
  
"Stop it!" Goku shouted, intent upon ceasing the insanity which was already set in motion.  
  
"Stay out of it you third-class!" Vegeta hissed, stepping forward and accepting the challenge, "What's the the matter Zarbon? You hate the truth?" The alien launched himself at the prince and they began duking it out, Goku amazed to find Vegeta equal to Zarbon in strength.  
  
As Vegeta punched Zarbon in the stomach, Goku suddenly remembered something Vegeta had once told him: A Saijin's strength multiplied greatly after a battle. More so if they are nearly killed. Saijins were a prime example of the phrase "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Vegeta had almost died _twice_ in the past few days and he had been in a battle as well. As far as he recalled, Vegeta's power level was supposed to be somewhere near three hundred thousand.  
  
On the other hand, he now remembered that that was _before_ he died at Frieza's hand, so it was essentially more than that when he had arrived on Earth. Near death about doubled one's power level, he knew this from personal experience, so Vegeta was probably over one million easily. However, being as that Goku was a Super Saijin and Vegeta was not, this did not explain how the prince was so powerful, and how he was able to defeat Cell in three blows all the while lagged by a fatal injury. It just didn't add up.  
  
"The truth??" Zarbon laughed as a punch found its way to Vegeta's jaw, "How about _this_ for truth, Vegeta: You're so proud of a nearly extinct race and you don't even care about its surviving member! You're so self-absorbed that no one can stand to be around you! You hear me, Vegeta!? Every time Frieza beat you I had to hear that freak-of-nature bitch about you and how he saved your lame ass from being gang-banged!!" The prince suddenly froze in place as he realized Zarbon _did_ know the truth. A fist connected with his stomach and Vegeta stumbled back, his eyes and expression showing his mental distance. Vegeta's not here right now. Vegeta went away. Vegeta's gone...  
  
"I knew since the start you were no good!" Zarbon screamed, socking Vegeta's jaw hard, a cracking sound emitting from the smaller man. Punches and kicks flew at him, each successfully hitting the prince as he barely attempted to block the attacks.  
  
'Oh god..he knows....**He _knows_!**'  
  
It was unbearable to the Prince of Saijins. Unbearable to let an enemy know your weakness. He needed to be punished. He needed to rectify. He needed to misdirect.  
  
Vegeta blinked and focused on the enraged man before him, a smirk curving his busted lip. "C'mon Zarbon! Is that the best you can do? Pathetic! I guess fucking that bitch has made you weak!" Vegeta taunted, half of a chuckle coming from his throat as Zarbon continued his assault. Fist after fist smashed against his face, pain biting him like the harsh sting of ice, all of which was easily ignored. An odd laugh erupted from deep within him, only serving to enrage Zarbon further. The sickening - satisfying - sound of his nose being broken filled Vegeta's ears, blood pouring forth in thick streams, splattering here and there, flowing down his face in a haphazard path.  
  
His laugh came harder, reminding him bitterly of the android he had killed only a few minutes prior. Vegeta spat, tossing his head around to rid his face of extra blood. Still laughing, still mocking, the prince said, "You can do better than that!" Feet and hands met his flesh, leaving behind angry marks of purple and blue in their wake, but Vegeta didn't falter in the slightest. His teasing continued. "Pathetic," he would murmur. "Weak," he would mention. "Predictable," he would say with an air of confidence.  
  
"STOP IT!" Goku's screamed at the top of his lungs, having had enough, "Both of you STOP! NOW!"  
  
Vegeta spat in his direction, "Fuck off."  
  
Anger and rejection swelled inside of Goku like a shadow monster lurking for the perfect moment to pounce. The monster found its moment finally, when denial crumbled and left the black-haired man, with hope deserting him. For the first time that Goku could think of, he let his emotions - his negative emotions - get the best of him. Before he could stop himself, words were spilling over his lips. Words that had lingered in the back of his mind, that had been kept under safe guard by said denial and hope, but as quickly as those had gone, the words fled from his mouth as well, "Zarbon's right. You're a self-absorbed asshole, and that's why no one cares about you."  
  
Vegeta instantly froze in place, his face completely void of emotion though his eyes betrayed his calm exterior. Goku cringed at the lie, "Oh my god, Vegeta...Vegeta, I didn't..." Shocked, Goku saw a small smile come to Vegeta's face.  
  
He turned away from the younger man to look at Zarbon, "We were fighting, were we not?"  
  
The alien blinked, a bit confused by Vegeta's new demeanor, "Yes, we _were_."  
  
Vegeta wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt, adding more crimson, "So hit me."  
  
Zarbon sensed something from the Saijin, something he did not like at all, "No."  
  
Vegeta took a step forward, "Are you scared? Hit me."  
  
The blue-skinned alien shook his head, having the oddest sensation that Vegeta was not what he appeared to be at the moment, "I am not scared, but I'm not going to hit you. That'd be pointless."  
  
Vegeta licked some sticky blood from his lips, then quirked a little smile, "No, it wouldn't. C'mon, Zarbon..hit me. I dare you." With another step forward, Vegeta dropped his voice low, letting it become a soft purr, "Hurt me, Zarbon. If you think you can, that is." Zarbon looked the brunette over carefully, his mind assessing the new situation. Stepping forward, getting closer, a whisper was spoken, "Hit me as hard as you can..Zarbon."  
  
Something in those black eyes unnerved the blue-skinned alien. Something he hadn't honestly seen in a long time. The inky depths seemed to say "come get me, you coward". Vegeta was egging him on. When he refused to play the game though, he could see the prince's irritation in those eyes. Zarbon, suddenly sensing the change, charged Vegeta.  
  
The Saijin raised his arms and took up a stance, letting his enemy come to him. When in range, his arms darted out and caught the ones coming at him. He slammed his head against Zarbon's, let go, and spun around, kicking him in the jaw. Zarbon staggered back in surprise and Vegeta tipped his head to the side, cracking his neck, smirking. Rubbing the side of his face, the green-haired man spoke sharply, "Do not fuck with me. You're revealing yourself. Your _true_ self."  
  
"Who says that I care?" Vegeta countered to Zarbon's apparent nervosity, "What do I have to lose?" He walked calmly towards him, posture straight, eyes unblinking. Unbelievably, the alien took a step back and put up his guard. Chuckling darkly and smoothly, Vegeta grinned, "I will enjoy watching the life seep out of you slowly and painfully."  
  
He leapt up and came down hard, jutting his right foot out which sunk into the earth where Zarbon had stood seconds before. Without looking, he brought up his left arm to block a punch with his forearm. He released his tail from around his waist and whipped the man so fast, it broke the skin. As Zarbon clutched the skin around the wound, Vegeta flipped himself out of the ground and landed gently on the balls of his feet.  
  
He generously allowed the time for Zarbon to glare before he returned the look with a smile. A sort of bat-your-eyelashes-like-you're-innocent kind of smile. It increased the feeling of unease. Then he thrust his arm forward and released a ki blast. It nicked Zarbon in the shoulder as he attempted to dodge, but it put him off balance. Before he realized Vegeta had even moved, the prince was hooking his leg around his own. With a small tug, Zarbon fell to the ground with a grunt. Eyes wide with surprise, he managed to bring his foot up in time to stop the smaller man from pouncing on him. He pushed hard on the brunette's chest and caused him to tumble back.  
  
Rolling out of the shove, Vegeta began to stand when he dropped down to parry a blast aimed at him. Another came, low to the ground, but he merely hopped over it, coming down on hands and feet. He stayed crouched, tense, with his tail coiling around the fabric of his clothes so tightly it made a sound. Zarbon ran at him again, his clenched fists ready to do some damage. Vegeta shrank down and released like a spring, gracefully flipping in mid-air to land behind his enemy. Zarbon spun around and they both attacked. A fist crashed into the prince's temple as the said prince jabbed him in the ribs with his knuckles.  
  
They both took a second to recover, and then they attacked with ferocity. Punches flew at each other, but more often than not, they were blocked. Stepping back, Vegeta kicked high with his right leg, but Zarbon grabbed his foot. Surprised, Vegeta tugged, and to his dismay, could not gain his appendage back, or balance for that matter. With a triumphant smirk, Zarbon pulled up. Growling, the brunette took a chance and jumped. His arms came down, and his hands took the place of his feet. His left foot tried to finish what the right had failed at, but Zarbon caught that too. A curse word or two flitted across his mind. This time, Zarbon acted, and Vegeta reacted.  
  
The blue-skinned alien's plan was to slam the smaller man into the ground, but he hadn't realized that while he was the one holding onto the prince that didn't necessarily mean he was the one in control. As he pressed down, Vegeta grit his teeth and yanked hard towards himself. Zarbon fumbled and let go, crashing next to Vegeta in a heap. The younger sprang onto his feet and tackled his prey. He forced Zarbon onto his back and let go with a frightening display of lack of control.  
  
As he punched as hard as he could, it was obvious he wanted to beat the other man to death. Zarbon's hand pressed against Vegeta's face, trying in vain to find his eyes in order to gouge them out. When he came to the conclusion that he wouldn't be able to even defend himself, he surprisingly pleaded, "Vegeta, please stop!" Vegeta growled loudly, baring his fangs at his enemy. "Vegeta," Zarbon coughed, "_Please_, I'm asking you! Think of my son! Surely you know what it's like to grow up without a father!"  
  
Vegeta stopped, so that Zarbon could look him properly in the eye, "Oh, fuck you." He was so angry he didn't raise his voice; so enraged that he didn't even need to yell to show it.  
  
"You want me to pity your spawn? That illegitimate who you are now trying to compare to me? Where is your fucking compassion, you hypocrite?" he paused, seething, "How dare you. You expect me to have mercy? I will show you the extent of my mercy. I will let you live, perhaps, but I will take from you what you pride yourself on. I will take your ability to fight, and I will take away your beauty. I will remove limbs from you, Zarbon, and I will cast them in metal as personal trophies. I want you to wake up and look at yourself in the mirror to see your hideous and deformed body, simply so that you'll think of me. I want you to look in the mirror and remember that you never, once, gave me a chance."  
  
Suddenly, arms came around him, and lifted him away from Zarbon. It was Goku, and in the instant that Vegeta began to struggle, the younger went Super Saijin. "Kakkarot, mind your own business!" the brunette hissed, trying to get his arms out of their locked position. He was becoming so angry that he trembled, "Let go of me this instant!" Zarbon began to get up, brushing the hair away from his marred face. Goku had never seen him this mad, in every sense of the word. He twisted and turned, pulled and writhed in the hold, trying desperately to escape. His enemy looked at him for a moment, rose his hand to hit him, but then decided better of it. He turned away, intent on leaving.  
  
"He is getting away and you're letting him!" Vegeta voiced his complaint, tugging with all his might, "What the fuck is wrong with you!? Don't you get it!?" He stopped fighting to get free, and started to merely fight Goku as his anger was redirected, "This is mine, Kakkarot! You can't stop me from taking what belongs to me, and I will take his pride! And if you stand in my way, then I will strike you down for your opposition!"  
  
"Vegeta, please, calm down," was all Goku managed to say.  
  
"How can I when you fucking won't listen to me, you retard!? LET. ME. GO. Zarbon is mine to destroy, and I will make him spend the rest of his life trying to rectify the mistake of being born!"  
  
"Would you listen to yourself!?" the younger man countered.  
  
"Would you shut the fuck up and _listen to me_!? God, you disgust me! I ha--"  
  
He couldn't even finish his sentence, because he was abruptly dropped and spun around. Looking up in surprise, he saw the anger in the other man's eyes. Vegeta didn't realize that Goku could move so quickly, until it was too late. The younger swung his arm hard, smacking the prince across the face. This wasn't just a slap, it was a demeaning hit that knocked the recipient to the side. Vegeta stared at the ground in disbelief. The third class had slapped him. The third class had just slapped him!  
  
Vegeta's ki began to flare to life. He spoke lowly towards the dirt beneath his feet, "You _lied_ to me. You _lied_ to me, and I _trusted_ you."  
  
From deep within the prince, he could sense a sort of flood gate that belonged to his so-called soul. Something that had always been locked down and carefully guarded was competing to be released. All he could feel was a burning at the boundaries, eating away at control, stealing his reserves.  
  
He was all alone, betrayed by the last of his kind. All alone like he had been, and was destined - was doomed - to always be. But, oh god, it was so lonely... It was so hard to do it by yourself... So hard to have no one who you could respect, who you could rely on, who you could..trust... So hard when you shamefully ached for what others so easily achieved... So hard when you had nothing...  
  
He couldn't hang on anymore. The contradictions ate at him and dissolved his defenses. It's not like it mattered anymore. There was nothing for him. Not even himself.  
  
Vegeta screamed at the top of his lungs, anger and vehemence lingering on every syllable, "I _TRUSTED_ YOU!!"  
  
An earth-shattering roar burst from Vegeta as he let go. Let go of the fighting, of the drinking, of..Kakkarot...   
  
It _hurt_. It hurt a lot. Nothing mattered anymore, but it still hurt. All he had was Kakkarot, and even now, he had lost him. And it was his fault. He wasn't good enough for Kakkarot. The Prince of Saijins was not good enough for a third-class soldier. It was meant to never be, and it hurt.  
  
At last he realized that there was silence save for the wind. He steadied his breathing, numbly wondering why everyone looked so transfixed. It didn't matter though. Nothing was left for him. Nothing was left of him.  
  
Goku took a hesitant step forward and Vegeta flinched at his movement. "T-Take another senzu, Vegeta..?" the younger asked, though it seemed more like a request or a suggestion. The prince closed his eyes, feeling his anger dwindle. It would fade into the background, yes, but it would _still_ be there, waiting.  
  
"Fine," the brunette whispered, easily catching the bean as Piccolo threw it to him.  
  
"Vegeta.." Goku tried again to make conversation, to make up for his words and his actions.  
  
"Don't," Vegeta begged, his voice a strained whisper, his eyes closing to hold back tears of regret. Hell would be better than Kakkarot's retaliation. 'I thought I hit bottom,' he thought, 'so why is this getting worse?'  
  
The younger Saijin stepped forward, he himself speaking in a whisper, "I'm sorry, Vegeta. I didn't mean what I said. I was angry at the time. I didn't want to hit you, Vegeta.. I just wanted to stop you from acting foolishly. Vegeta.."  
  
The prince pushed the taller man away, "Shut up, I said! I don't want to hear it! Don't you understand!? I hate you!"  
  
Goku slowly pulled Vegeta into an embrace, arms holding tight, "I don't hate you, Vegeta. I don't hate you."  
  
The brunette struggled, though it seemed as if his strength had been sapped from him, "Shut up, already! I don't want to hear your lies, traitor!"  
  
The taller Saijin wrapped his arms around Vegeta fully, pressing his face against Vegeta's shoulder for a moment before speaking again, "Remember the time we went to the beach, and the girl touched your tail so I told her to piss off?"  
  
Vegeta's body tensed completely, his voice barely audible, "..Shut up..."  
  
Goku murmured softly into the prince's ear, "Remember when we went for breakfast and they wanted to fine you for smoking in the restroom and you told them off?" Vegeta's eyes closed and he shook his head in denial. "Remember when we went ice skating?" Goku asked lightly, his hands caressing Vegeta's back, trying to soothe the smaller man.  
  
Vegeta's voice came out as a cross between a sob and a laugh, "You kept falling on your ass...and I....laughed...." His expression seemed to match his voice as Vegeta's eyes glistened, and an odd, uncertain smile graced his face. Goku smiled back, caring and affection flowing from his gaze like an unyieldable river.  
  
"I hate you," Vegeta choked on a sob, "I hate you so much.." Goku's smile only widened, his hands rubbing the brunette's back gently. It was too much for the Saijin prince to stand - he broke, tears flowing freely, "I hate you because..you make me happy." Vegeta's face contorted to a look of extreme pain and grief, sobs escaping his throat, "I hate you! _I hate you!!_" Goku held him close as he grasped onto the tattered orange uniform, his face burying into his shoulder in shame, "Why? Why do you have to do this to me? Why don't you hate me..?"  
  
Goku carefully ran fingers through the dark brown hair, his voice a low murmur in the prince's ear, "Why not..?"  
  
Vegeta shook his head, gasping for air between sobs, "Kakkarot, don't joke."  
  
Goku sighed softly and whispered, "How can I hate the only person who understands me? How can I hate someone who makes _me_ happy?"  
  
Vegeta laughed bitterly and said, "..I never understood you. And I still don't."  
  
Goku finally glanced over at his small group of friends that had participated in the battle with Cell. He looked at Trunks who gave him a supportive smile. He then turned to Piccolo, who gave him a nod. Offering a smile himself, it was the last any of them saw as Goku suddenly flickered out, taking Vegeta with him. 


	11. a: Apparent Disregard

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
THANK YOU: Klepto for bearing with my insistent teasing AND giving me a lovely question AND helping me with a few minor details regarding soda pop. Su-san and Vin for their help in transitions - they were greatly appreciated and needed. Espaa in the donation of a name. Ashes and Vege_Chan for grammar support. Skip for your emotional support, even if I only managed to write three sentences in one night. And Ashes again for just being the wonderful person she is.  
  
NOTES: An asterisk (*) indicates a notation. Anything with a * beside it will be explained at the end of 10d.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 10a**  
aka **Apparent Disregard**  
  
_"Soy un perdedor/  
I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me?/"_  
-Beck "Loser"  
  
Goku stared at the lithe figure of the Saijin prince, diffused light cast down upon them. It was dimmer than candle light, and dimmer than moon light - that is, when the moon had been around. Vegeta's deep, even breaths were relaxing to the black-haired man, and Goku released a large sigh. The brunette that lay beside him looked, for once, truly calm. The evidence of his crying had long since faded, and his facial expression was no longer strained. Goku didn't think of crying as a sign of weakness, rather he knew Vegeta had been mentally exhausted. Sometimes, letting go like that made you feel better, even though nothing changes.  
  
The pale skin looked smooth in the lighting, flawless except for the blood that had dried on his face and neck. Goku wrapped his arms around his knees and bowed his head. He kept remembering Vegeta's words: '_I hate you..because you make me happy._'  
  
Goku's lips upturned into a small smile and he let out a small noise of amusement. On some level it seemed so absurd that it was humorous: hating someone because you liked them. However, with Vegeta, he knew there wasn't anything to really laugh about. In fact, it was so serious it was painful.  
  
What had happened to the prince that made him react like that? What sort of abuse had he endured that caused him to automatically assume people hated him? What made him so dispassionate about life that he had no control over his own emotions anymore? Vegeta's "heart" may say that Goku's alright, but his head was one step ahead screaming "no" over and over, despite any evidence otherwise.  
  
He looked up at the prone prince once more, feeling his stomach quiver with a surge of emotion. It was a mixture of feelings he couldn't properly define.  
  
The prince always caused this confusion., probably because he was unlike anyone he'd ever met. He wasn't as light-hearted as Krillin, Yamcha, or even Piccolo, but, he wasn't as cold-hearted as Freiza or Cell.  
  
The brunette was like a wild creature, untamable and fascinating, though deadly if provoked. On the other hand, deeper than the outer skin of bare instincts and old habits, Goku sensed the complete opposite one would expect from the prince: compassion, understanding, shyness, common sense stronger than most that matched a high intelligence, and loneliness.  
  
Vegeta's character seemed to lack depth, but that was merely all it did.._seem_. Goku knew better from the countless times he had the privilege to enjoy the prince's company. He knew, before Vegeta had first attempted to take his life, that those dark eyes held a vastness that he couldn't even comprehend and expect to fully discover. He knew after each action that Vegeta spent most of his time making sure no one saw him as he "truly" was. Brutal. Cold. Saijin.  
  
Goku let his throat rumble quietly as he continued his train of thought. Who Vegeta thought he was and who he actually was, was surprisingly drastic in concerns of contrast; the major difference was Vegeta's out-going character. Sarcastic, bold, and uncaring: the small, spiky-haired man didn't appear to be anything but these things. But Goku knew better. He knew that Vegeta was just as bashful, secluded, and careful as everyone else; he was just better at hiding it than the rest.  
  
A soft, dark tail twitched back and forth, its tip gliding over the top of Goku's hand. The gentle caress drew Goku's gaze down towards the furry appendage. Vegeta's words firmly shouted across his memory, '_Nobody...**NOBODY** TOUCHES MY GODDAMN TAIL!!_'  
  
Regardless, Goku's hand carefully pulled back for a moment before reaching down and lightly - oh so lightly - caressing the tip of the tail in mute curiosity and wonder. Though he himself had had a tail, decades had transpired since that time. By now he'd forgotten what it was like to have it, only remembering that it was quite useful, though it caused a great amount of pain when touched. Goku's rumbling magnified into a purr as his fingertips glided across the smooth fur, 'It's so _soft_!'  
  
More adjusted, the taller Saijin ran his fingers through the sensitive appendage, marveling at the feel of the brown strands of hair. Vegeta's breath hitched for a moment, and so entranced, the slight disruption went unnoticed by Goku. Running his hand across and around the tail, Goku idly toyed with the brown fuzz, his purr becoming deeper. He curled his hand and gently pulled on the silky tail, his hand easily sliding to the tip, and so he continued to repeat the process. Goku, however, could not ignore the quiet moan which spilled across Vegeta's lips a moment later.  
  
Confused, he looked up at the prince, whose face was contorted in an emotion that Goku couldn't clearly make out. He had never seen Vegeta make such and expression before. Blinking, Goku stroked the tail again, watching Vegeta's reaction carefully. The prince's lips parted to exhale a breathless moan as his hips rolled upward. It was then that the Earth-raised Saijin noticed the bulge in the elder's pants. A blush spread hotly across Goku's cheeks and he let go of Vegeta's tail, but the velvety appendage would have none of it, and wrapped itself around Goku's wrist and forearm as if pleading for more. Swallowing, Goku decided to hold still and let things be, realizing fully that he had meddled enough with things he was not only not supposed to touch, but hadn't been given permission to touch either.  
  
Watching the brunette intently, he noticed that Vegeta calmed after a few minutes, his tail's grip loosening itself to thump against the ground in a quiet rhythm. Goku gave a sigh of relief and sat back, still blushing from the little incident that had just occurred. Piccolo's voice haunted him again, '_Well, for one who's denying attraction I find it interesting how one will blush at the notion, yet not at the fact of being naked in front of others._'  
  
At that moment, he could no longer deny it. He understood why Vegeta could never fully upset him, why he didn't mind spending all his money on the older man, and why it didn't bother him the time Vegeta accidentally touched him in the crotch with his tail when the prince's intention was actually to hurt him. He'd always understood, but he never acknowledged it. He couldn't avoid it now. Despite how he wanted to, he could not and would not let himself ignore his own feelings.  
  
Even though Vegeta hadn't been conscious, to give him pleasure like that..it gave Goku pleasure. It wasn't disturbing because the prince had been asleep, per se, but more because he wasn't _awake_. He wanted Vegeta to feel that pleasure, and he wanted to give it to him.  
  
So, this was it, he thought. I'm attracted to Vegeta. I feel for him. I want him...  
  
And, more than anything, I want him to be happy...  
  
Reaching out, the taller Saijin lightly brushed the back of his hand against Vegeta's temple. He had hurt the man and breached his trust, and he wanted to remedy that. He'd done more damage with his words than with his fists, he knew. Yet, the consequences of his actions were..astounding...  
  
'I _TRUSTED_ YOU!' Vegeta had shouted. It was the last thing he said before _it_ happened. The man's ki skyrocketed, burning higher and higher. His aura had changed in that instant, leaving the ordinary white behind. Goku closed his eyes at the recollection, visualizing it all in his head. The way the dark brown spikes bled a new color, not simply flashing all at once like his own did. From the roots to the tips, pure gold colored the prince's strands; even his tail underwent the same change. Super Saijin. Vegeta was now a Super Saijin like himself.  
  
Didn't Vegeta say that there was only supposed to be one Super Saijin per millennium? Well, what did legends know? Goku and Vegeta were both in a league of their own. However, assuming that the legend was true, maybe it explained why the prince transformed differently.  
  
The overwhelming energy had then taken its toll on the prince, and the internal fire of ki burnt itself out. The emotional toll that went with that gift was too much for the brunette. He simply couldn't maintain that state of being at that point in time.  
  
What would it be like when Vegeta would be capable of holding onto that power?  
  
Hell, what would Vegeta do when he woke from his restful slumber? Releasing a deep sigh, Goku wondered where to go from his current position. What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to act? Shaking his head slightly, he decided to just let things work out for themselves. Worrying surely would not be helpful, and there was nothing that would be able to anticipate the elder's reaction.  
  
And then, the prince's eyes fluttered open, and he stared at Goku's face for a moment. "You...stayed," he said simply.  
  
"Of course," the younger Saijin replied softly, giving Vegeta a smile. Goku moved himself around and stood, walking over to a nearby sink.  
  
Vegeta propped himself up onto his elbows, giving a quick glance around, "Where are we..?"  
  
Goku ran some water, his back facing Vegeta, "A little place I know about. Even I like to be alone sometimes." Vegeta thought it best not to ask more on the subject. Goku turned around after shutting off the water. He approached, and then knelt next to Vegeta, "Here." His hand offered a washcloth, though his gaze never left Vegeta's face.  
  
Nodding, the brunette took the cloth and began to wipe off the blood that tarnished his skin, "I'm..I..." Vegeta's eyebrows scrunched up as he tried to word what he wanted to say. He finished cleaning himself before trying to voice himself again, "I.....think..I..should apologize, Kakkarot."  
  
Goku raised an eyebrow, his expression becoming very solemn, especially at the tone in Vegeta's voice, "Why, Vegeta? Because you've had things happen to you that were beyond your control?"  
  
The prince looked up at him and into his eyes, but Goku's expression did not change. "I..do not expect you to understand," Vegeta hesitantly said, handing the washcloth back to Goku as if to distract him.  
  
Goku tossed the miniature towel into the sink before turning his attention back to Vegeta, "And I do not expect you to understand." There was a moment of silence as Vegeta seemed to be thinking about his next words. Goku, however, broke the uneasy pause first, "Have you ever played laser tag, Vegeta?"  
  
The question wasn't necessary - Goku already knew the answer. "No, I have not, Kakkarot," the prince replied, a small smirk trying to curve his lips, "Why do you ask?"  
  
Goku resisted a grin, giving off a toothy smile instead, "Why, my prince, I believe it is because I wish to take you laser tagging."  
  
***  
  
Vegeta stepped through the door which Goku held open for him. The main lobby area seemed quite small, and so the prince had many doubts about what he was about to do. Goku would occasionally catch a worried glance and say something positive and reassuring. They approached the main desk and Goku asked for a game for two. After paying, the employee handed him two plastic cards. "What the hell are you supposed to do with this?" Vegeta asked, looking at the card, which only had the company's logo on it.  
  
"You hold onto it until they call us to get an activation arrow," Goku instructed, leaning against a nearby air hockey table.  
  
"And what the hell is an activation arrow??" Vegeta snapped, more embarrassed than irritated.  
  
"It's an arrow that will activate your pack," Goku said simply, trying to keep the atmosphere light, "Now no more questions. They'll be answered later, alright?" Vegeta mumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms, his gaze focusing on the ground.  
  
After a few minutes of just standing around, Vegeta proclaimed, "This is so stupid."  
  
Goku had to laugh, though he tried to resist the urge, "Give it a chance, Vegeta! You haven't even played yet..."  
  
Vegeta said nothing.  
  
Within the next minute or so they were called up to get activation arrows.  
  
"Name?" a young girl questioned Goku, who was first.  
  
"Kakkarot," Goku said, flashing Vegeta a grin, "K. A. K. K. A. R. O. T."  
  
After shuffling around, and typing on the computer, she handed him an arrow and said, "Next?"  
  
Vegeta stepped up, speaking before he was asked, "Vegeta. V. E. G. E. T. A." The process repeated, and the lady gave him his arrow. The two Saijins then proceeded to stand by the air hockey table once more. A few more minutes passed and finally they were called into a small room that was used for briefing. One of the employees gave a general breakdown of how the game was played before they were allowed into the next room that held all the laser packs. Goku slipped on a pack and activated it, passing up his arrow. Vegeta followed Goku's example, but abruptly got stuck when trying to complete the process. "Where the hell is that stupid strap!?" the prince growled, looking for it in agitation.  
  
"Here," Goku said, spotting the buckle tangled around the other side of the pack. He unwound it and proceeded to buckle the pack for Vegeta, "There you go." Vegeta glared at the younger Saijin. A moment later the employee, or the "marshall" of the game, began to review a code of conduct. After this was completed, and all arrows were taken up, a large door opened and the players were allowed out into the arena. Vegeta fanned out and headed for the back corner, not paying the least bit attention to where Goku was going, though he was curious as to where he would end up. It was a solo game, and Vegeta knew how to play those type of games best.  
  
Thirty seconds quickly passed and the game officially began. Being in the back corner, Vegeta had to wait a few moments before anyone passed by. The first person that passed didn't even see Vegeta, as they were some twenty feet away, but the Saijin successfully hit them regardless. Bored with his current position, the prince headed up a nearby ramp and onto the top floor of a tower. Above everyone else, he found it easy to peg people all across the arena.  
  
Vegeta chuckled to himself - the game was relatively easy, but was a bit fun nonetheless due to how he annoyed the other people. A group of fed-up players snuck up behind Vegeta, but not only could the prince sense them, but hear them as well. Leaping into the air, Vegeta did a back flip over the edge of the tower and out into the air. He flew backwards, getting a shot in all of this attackers, who were now staring in complete shock. A second later, however, a figure gripped his ankle. "Vegeta!" Goku whispered harshly, tugging him towards the ground, though the prince would not move, "Don't fly!"  
  
The brunette chuckled and got in a shot against Goku, "Why not? They didn't say you couldn't in the rules."  
  
Goku stared at the prince whose eyes were, for once, full of mischief. A grin slowly spread across Goku's face, "Alright then, Vegeta." Swiftly, Goku shot Vegeta's pack. He laughed light-heartedly before flickering out. Vegeta cursed and went back to tagging all the people that dared come into his vision, and on more than one occasion he zoomed out of the way and behind the person. Within a minute or so, every normal human within the game was thoroughly scared or awestruck by the prince or the third class. Standing in various places, the humans watched the Saijins duke it out in the most hardcore laser tag game ever played. Fifteen minutes were soon up.  
  
Walking into the main lobby laughing, Goku turned to look at Vegeta who was smirking at him. "Let's see our scores!" Goku said, taking a seat and patting the ground next to him. Shaking his head, the prince sat down next to him, folding his legs indian style. A group of men, women, and children followed after them, still tripping and stumbling in shock. The scores came up on a screen nearby and Goku released a cheer, "Damn! Way to go, Vegeta! You got first!"  
  
The prince couldn't help but grin, the absurdity of it all was amusing, "Kakkarot, that was not challenging in the slightest."  
  
Goku playfully punched his arm in response, "Aw, c'mon...having a score of roughly five thousand is more than triple the norm. And besides, I came in second only a hundred points behind you. So at least _I_ was challenging..right?"  
  
Vegeta stood up and put his hands in his pockets, "Hn...right." He glanced at the onlookers and felt his muscles tense. The staring, the gawking...he refused to take such treatment. He strode to the front door and slammed it open so hard it partially broke off the hinge.  
  
"Vegeta!" Goku called out, chasing after him. He stopped the elder by placing a hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong??"  
  
Vegeta gave a shrug, looking off into space, "Nothing."  
  
Goku resisted the urge to call bullshit, so instead he voted to say, "That's not true."  
  
The prince backed out of reach, "Yeah, well, maybe. I... I guess I didn't realize how much I don't like spectators."  
  
Goku pulled his lips back into a terse expression, "Ah...Well.. ..What would you like to do now?" The prince looked down and away, giving a shrug. "Alright," Goku said with a sigh, putting his hand on Vegeta's shoulder, taking them elsewhere. As they reappeared, Vegeta knew right away they were in a department store. "I thought you wouldn't like to wear those Hawaiian print shorts," Goku said as they approached the swim suits.  
  
"I do not wish to go to the beach," Vegeta said, his tone almost dangerous.  
  
"We're not going to the beach," the taller Saijin declared with a playful smirk. Without saying anything more, he turned and began to look through a rack. Vegeta seemed to give up and began looking as well. Within seconds, the prince had decided on a pair of plain black swimming trunks. Goku took just a few moments longer, taking up a navy pair with yellow stitching. After paying for their selected items, Goku - ignoring the people around them - placed his hand on Vegeta's shoulder and transmitted them out. Again, they appeared in the dim room which Vegeta hadn't gotten a good look at. Instantly, Goku began to strip so he could put on his swimming trunks. He turned to Vegeta when he was done to notice that the man hadn't moved an inch.  
  
"What?" the prince growled as Goku stared at him.  
  
"Uh..aren't you going to change?" the younger Saijin asked innocently, raising one eyebrow. Vegeta seemed to fidget for a moment before, with reluctance, he began to pull off his shirt. Goku took a deep breath and turned around, suddenly realizing that the brunette needed his privacy. The prince had seemed so hesitant to undress in front of him, nervous as well. 'My god..he's so cute when he's shy,' Goku thought with a blush, biting his tongue to force his mind to not wander. There was the ruffling of clothes for a minute or so before Vegeta finally walked into view, decked out in his new wardrobe. "This way," Goku allowed himself to breathe, taking them towards a sliding door.  
  
The black-haired youth opened it, letting pent up humidity escape and cover their skin. A bead curtain hung in the door frame just behind the door, and inside the ornate room which held no windows, sat a single object in the center of the room - a hot tub. Vegeta stepped inside, eyeing the tub warily as he walked on the tile floor. Goku slid the door shut, casually walked over the the tub, and stepped in. "Hm," the taller Saijin purred, "It's really nice. Perfect temperature." He stepped down again so the water came up to his waist, then after pausing there for a moment, he sat down and leaned back, releasing a deep, satisfied sigh.  
  
Vegeta seemed skeptical, but allowed himself to dare into the tub, following suit to Goku's actions, minus the satisfactory sounds. After sitting for a minute however, Vegeta leaned back, letting his elbows rest on the tile side of the tub, his hands hanging limply, the fingers just centimeters above the water's surface. The prince tipped his head back and made a small noise, his eyes closing. Goku watched him, a smile breaking out across his face, 'Thank god, he seems to be enjoying it!' He suddenly felt his stomach do a back flip as he examined the older Saijin.  
  
The dim light did nothing for eradicating the sensuality of the situation (at least, the sensuality in Goku's eyes). Water splashed and played against Vegeta's wonderfully toned chest, leaving behind glistening skin in its wake. Even more tantalizing, was the prince's tail, which only let its tip venture out of the water, twitching back and forth, submerging and surfacing again and again, as if beckoning. An image of Vegeta's tail softly caressing the taller man's thighs invaded Goku's mind, the brown fuzz moving upwards, closer and closer...  
  
"Are you blushing?" Vegeta abruptly asked. Goku flushed a darker color as he realized that he hadn't even noticed the prince looking at him.  
  
'Stop daydreaming, you pervert!' he mentally slapped himself. He shrugged to Vegeta, trying to act nonchalant, "Must be the heat." A part of his mind taunted, 'Yeah, the heat in your _groin_...pervert.'  
  
Goku coughed and slipped deeper into the water for a moment, his eyes level with Vegeta's chest. There was a long scar over the right side of his chest, as well as a few other random, jagged ones. There could of been more, but he couldn't see properly in the lighting. They almost seemed fitting on Vegeta, but awkward as well. Fitting, since he was a warrior, awkward because Goku knew better of the healing capabilities. Wouldn't regeneration tanks stop scarring? On Namek, he received no scars from the wounds that healed in the tank.  
  
The black-haired man sat up and quietly asked, "Hey, Vegeta?"  
  
The prince regarded him for a moment before replying, "Yes, Kakkarot?"  
  
Goku cleared his throat, moving around nervously, "Uh...you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but-" He paused for a second, watching the brunette's eyes narrow. "-um...Why did you...stop talking? You know, when you were young..." Goku spoke softly, only glancing up at Vegeta every few seconds. An uncomfortable silence ensued. Goku broke it before it went on even longer, "You don't have to answer me, it's okay, I understand."  
  
Vegeta sat up, running a hand through his hair, "No. I was thinking you'd really want to know why I _started_ speaking again."  
  
Goku slowly raised his eyebrows, "Um...I..."  
  
Vegeta shook his head, looking down for a moment, "Stop fretting." The prince looked up once more, his voice dangerously low, "When I learned of my planet getting destroyed..When I heard my father was dead..That's when I stopped." The dark orbs of Vegeta's eyes bore into Goku's, "I started again when-" He suddenly broke off, unable to finish the sentence.  
  
"It's okay," Goku insisted, not wanting to press the matter.  
  
"_No_," the prince said firmly, the black depths once again connecting with Goku's. If Zarbon could know, then surely Kakkarot could? He'd heard a few times that talking about it made you feel better. Maybe he could try..just this once.  
  
"I had just returned from purging a planet when an elite soldier grabbed a hold of me," Vegeta's skin lost what little color it held, "He took me to a room where there was other elites inside. They pinned me down and began to, erh...touch me and take off my clothes." Goku felt his insides twist and revolt against his body, wishing to escape, dread poisoning his bloodstream. Vegeta's face contorted to anger and shame, "So I..called for help. Frieza and Dodoria had been nearby, I guess, and heard me. They said if I didn't tell them what happened they'd let them go, so I, uh..told them."  
  
Goku's eyes flashed with emotions and questions left unanswered. "No," Vegeta said before the young man could actually vocalize any of it, "Nothing really happened." A wave of relief overcame Goku's features, or at least, partial relief. The prince sighed, letting his head roll back so he'd look up at the ceiling. The tip of the tail submerged only to not surface again.  
  
"I didn't want to make you upset or anything," Goku admitted, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.  
  
"You didn't," Vegeta said blandly, his throat contracting with a swallow, "It isn't you. It's those dead, long-gone bastards." A deep sigh emitted from the brunette as he muttered, "Fuckin' pedophiles..." Shaking his head, Vegeta sat up again, his tail once again appearing. There. He'd said it.  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm sure they wouldn't have done anything if they knew they were messing with a Super Saijin," Goku said, sporting a shy grin as he tried to lighten the mood. The prince stared with an odd, confused expression across his face. It was then that Goku realized Vegeta wasn't aware of his own transformation. "You don't know," Goku stated in shock, "You really don't know."  
  
The brunette's tail began to twitch faster as adrenaline started to run, "Know..what...exactly?"  
  
Goku ran his hand over his face, rubbing his forehead. He looked up at Vegeta and smiled, "Vegeta..." He didn't know how to explain this to him. The prince allowed one eyebrow to raise, though he didn't say anything else. "Vegeta," Goku informed, his eyes glittering with something akin to mischief, "You're a Super Saijin." Vegeta merely stared for a moment, his eyes drilling deep into Goku as if to see if he was lying or not. And then he closed his eyes, gathering his energy, as if to prove the third-class wrong.  
  
An explosion of ki erupted throughout the prince, Vegeta himself surprised. When he had first transformed, the raw surge hadn't been noticed over the extreme emotional adrenaline rush. The room glowed golden at his presence, the water hissing, announcing its evaporation when the aura had suddenly flickered to life. Vegeta stared in awe as the energy tingled him, coursing through every fiber of his being. "My god..." he breathed, looking at his hands as he flexed them. It felt..too amazing for words!  
  
A shimmer underwater refocused his attention, and he brought up his tail which proudly modeled for fur spun of pure gold. The dim light danced across the strands, and he grasped a hold of his own locks, pulling them down in front of his face to see the new color for himself. He laughed lightly, "I'm a Super Saijin." A more joyous cry erupted from him, "I'm a Super Saijin!" He flexed his ki, letting it increase, "_I_ AM A SUPER SAIJIN!" His throat rumbled rapidly with an enthusiastic purr, "Kakkarot, I'm a Super Saijin!"  
  
The black-haired man chuckled at the prince, "Yes, Vegeta, you are."  
  
Vegeta finally settled down somewhat, still staring at his golden tail, "I would have never...I mean, I had certain potentials, but never would have thought......me, a Super Saijin! Father would be so proud..." Vegeta smiled weakly, embarrassment coming over him when he realized he was acting rather childish.  
  
"I'm proud of you," Goku suddenly declared, a warm smile on his face, his mind trying to stay on target. He knew how important this moment was, but he couldn't help but thinking how wonderful it would be to have a tail softly caressing his thighs, _golden_ fuzz moving upwards, closer and closer...  
  
"You..are?" the prince questioned, his tail fluffing for a second as Vegeta stretched it.  
  
Goku's eyes could barely keep themselves away from the appendage, "Yes, of course. You've accomplished many great things, Vegeta. Not to mention the many horrific things you've overcome. I don't see anything to not be proud of.."  
  
The prince seemed to ponder this for a moment before replying, "I suppose so, Kakkarot, but I think you neglect the fact that I too did many horrific things."  
  
Goku's smile faded into a more solemn expression, "Vegeta, didn't you once tell me that Frieza made you who you were?" He was careful in saying "were" and not "are".  
  
Vegeta's eyes darkened, his eyebrows drawing together as he tipped his head downwards. As he spoke, his eyes did not leave Goku's, "In essence, he made me do what he wanted me to do, but that does not mean I didn't enjoy it in the meantime. Just because I had to accept the fact that I was weaker doesn't mean that I didn't delight in causing pain."  
  
Goku closed his eyes, breaking free of the brunette's odd gaze, "Vegeta...It doesn't matter. What matters to _me_ is _you_, not your previous actions. All that was such a long time ago, Vegeta.."  
  
The prince scoffed, "Well, that's a pretty dangerous move considering, Kakkarot. Times have changed, but I have not."  
  
It was Goku's turn to scoff, "You kid yourself."  
  
Vegeta gave time to let that thought simmer, "You do as well."  
  
Goku nodded and shrugged, "I suppose I do. But at least I do it about all the right things." Vegeta released a half-sigh half-growl, looking at the wall. They sat in uncomfortable silence. "Uh..I think we better get out," Goku spoke up, chuckling, "You know, before we turn into prunes." Vegeta gave a small nod, climbing out and flinging his tail to remove most of the water, dropping his Super Saijin form at the same time. Goku disappeared for a moment, returning with two towels. Vegeta quickly dried himself and Goku followed suit, taking the damp towel from the prince once he was finished.  
  
They stepped out into the main room, Goku dropping his shorts and kicking them away. He grabbed his pants and quickly pulled them on, glancing over at Vegeta. What he saw he didn't expect; he expected to see Vegeta looking off, waiting - but instead he saw a nice view of the prince's back-side. Eyes took it in as a whole before looking down at the feet, slowly following the curves of the ankles, then the legs, up the thighs, all the way to...  
  
'What am I _doing_!?' Goku blinked hard, trying to tell himself to stop, but something caught his interest. The tail swung slowly back and forth. He followed it up from the tip to the base, then followed the indent of the spine to the neck and then the hair. His gaze refocused when Vegeta promptly bent over to pick up his clothes.  
  
'Oh god,' Goku felt his head spin and his stomach muscles clench insanely hard. The butterflies in his stomach tickled him mercilessly as an odd, nervous smile broke out across his face, and he turned a bright shade of red. He swore he was going to either pass out or vomit, or both, though in what order he wasn't sure. Vegeta stoically dressed, but it wasn't fast-paced or abrupt - it seemed that the prince's mind was focusing on other thoughts besides getting clothes on.  
  
Goku quickly pulled his on however, trying his best to distract himself as well. Soon, but not soon enough for Goku, the prince finished dressing and regarded the black-haired man. "It's getting late," the prince mentioned, "You ought to go home."  
  
Goku gave a sort of forced smile, "I guess you're right..." His smile altered into a real one, "But only if you accompany me the way there." The brunette looked at him in a mixture of confusion and skepticism before giving a small nod. Goku's smile widened, and placing his hand on Vegeta's shoulder, they were instantly outside. The two Saijins took off into the sky, the sun falling towards the horizon, bringing about twilight slowly, gradually. The rays cast themselves upon the clouds, splattering brilliant hues of gold into the sky. Goku flew higher, and naturally, Vegeta followed.  
  
"What are you doing?" the prince called through the mass of water vapor.  
  
Goku did all sorts of flips and spins, giving out a laugh, "C'mon, Vegeta! Loosen up a bit!" The brunette said nothing, merely following the younger Saijin, but not in the same manner. They burst through the edge of the cloud, and Goku slowed down to let Vegeta catch up. "Lord.." Goku paused, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. As the fresh, cool air invaded his lungs, it sent a sensation down his back, and in return, a shiver ran up his spine.  
  
"Are you okay?" Vegeta asked, sounding not at all worried, but more curious.  
  
"I just..." Goku began, his eyes opening. He looked at Vegeta and smiled warmly - happily. He stared at the prince, his smile growing wider, joy pumping from his heart and down through his veins, "I'm just so...happy, and everything just looks..." He glanced around at the shimmering sky in approval before looking back at Vegeta, "It's all just so beautiful." He whispered now, hoping he wasn't blushing.  
  
"It does look..." Vegeta trailed off, searching for the word he'd like to use, "...nice."  
  
Goku twirled around, giving out a short laugh, "I feel so alive!" He flew up in an arc, and then dropped his ki, letting himself fall through the clouds, wind curving around his body, hair wild, clothes flapping, flowing. He could sense Vegeta following him as he neared the earth. 'Catch me,' Goku whispered in his mind, begging silently, 'Catch me, Vegeta. Don't let me fall.' His heart pounded in his chest, rapidly, excitedly. He knew if Vegeta did not catch him, he would fall, and he would die. Still, it was thrilling in a fun sort of way. It was a buzz, a joyous one. He felt so alive now, that death didn't even bother him. 'Catch me,' he thought again, smiling.  
  
The prince, at first, thought it was another strange game that the black-haired Saijin wished to play, but soon enough there was only a few hundred feet to go, and Goku was making no indication that he was going to move. Still, Vegeta had no doubt that the man would, yet he followed. They neared the ground - the rolling plains of green grass. 'Catch me,' Goku whispered again, having no idea how high or low he was in the air. The ground was almost upon them, Vegeta still in tow.  
  
A voice whispered in the back of the brunette's mind, '_Catch me._' He didn't question the request, but instead he instantly reacted. His body burst into a golden shower as he dove faster, carefully and swiftly hooking his arms around the taller man's body. They slowed to a halt, Vegeta laying the man down on the green grass, the golden aura disappearing. Rolling plains encompassed them in every direction, to every horizon. They were alone. Goku's eyes opened, his smile never once fading in the slightest, "You caught me." His breath was nearly gone, however, and his voice was soft.  
  
Vegeta furrowed his eyebrows and looked away. Something about the situation seemed a bit odd, and Vegeta wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Goku sighed, stretching his body, spreading himself out across the grass. "Vegeta?" Goku quietly asked, "When I go home, where will you go?"  
  
The prince sighed silently and replied flatly, "I don't know." Goku closed his eyes, wallowing in the perfection of the moment. Just being there without a care. Just lying down. Just being with Vegeta. "It's getting dark, Kakkarot," Vegeta mentioned, his gaze moving down to the prone man.  
  
Goku sighed, sitting up and stretching, sadly agreeing, "Yeah..." He leapt into the air easily and they continued on their way, minus Goku's previous bubbling attitude. He seemed quiet, almost solemn now, and this made Vegeta wonder just a bit.  
  
"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" the prince asked nonchalantly.  
  
Goku looked at him and a smile came to his face, "Just fine." Yes, every time he was around Vegeta he was fine. He was better than fine. He was happy. The smile widened, becoming perfectly genuine, nothing forced behind it at all. Vegeta gave a nervous little smile in response before focusing his attention on the direction they were heading in.  
  
The gold had faded into orange and red, and farther from the western horizon it bled to purple, and then navy which was becoming the night sky. Both Saijins landed on the doorstep of Goku's small secluded home. "Thanks for joining me, Vegeta," Goku said, his smile content as he gazed at the brunette. Vegeta gave a small nod in response. They stood for a few moments, just staring at each other, Vegeta's tail swinging in an extremely slow fashion. 'My god, he's so handsome,' Goku thought, his entire body growing warm. He hoped his cheeks weren't blushing as he thought, 'I just want to..God, I just want to kiss him right now...'  
  
He shifted, ready to take a step toward Vegeta when the older man turned, "Well...I'll see you..around, Kakkarot." Goku wished for a fleeting instant to just grab Vegeta by the wrist. He wanted so badly to pull that small compact body against his own and hold it close. He just desired to press his mouth against those forbidden lips and forget all the consequences. He wanted to show every amazing emotion he felt in a single soft kiss goodnight. He wanted Vegeta to pull back and whisper, "Kakkarot..." He wanted....  
  
"Kakkarot..."  
  
Goku's eyes fluttered as he came out of his daydream, "Huh? What?"  
  
Vegeta's voice was firm, but full of confusion, "Is there something you need? Because if not, I'd like for you to release me now." Goku looked down to see his hand encircling the smaller wrist.  
  
He knew that his face had, for certain, changed colors this time, and he let go of the prince while speaking, "Uh...I wanted to say that I'd like to see you tomorrow..if that's alright.."  
  
Vegeta nodded, saying quietly, "Okay." Awkward silence. Nothing more to say, but hundreds of thousands unspoken words.  
  
"Good night, Vegeta," Goku finally said, trying to sound as comforting as possible, though he didn't understand why he wanted to sound so..sweet.  
  
"'Night, Kakkarot," Vegeta replied, holding his hand up in a parting gesture before he took off into the sky.  
  
The taller Saijin watched him go, and stared off in the general direction for a few moments after he was gone from sight. He then sighed, feeling suddenly very tired as he opened the door and stepped inside. "Goku! Where have you been all day!" Chi-chi ran over to her husband, "Krillin said there was an awful fight with some Cell character and at the end of it all you just left with Vegeta! You could have at least said where you were going instead of running off like you always do!"  
  
Goku sighed again, rubbing his temples, "Chi-chi...I swear there are just some things you won't understand, and I am one of those things."  
  
She placed her hands on her hips, giving him "the look", "Oh no, mister! Don't try to pull this off as some sort of Saijin thing or another because I-"  
  
He interrupted her for the first time either of them could recall, "It's _not_ a Saijin thing! Chi-chi...! You don't even know _half_ of the story."  
  
She frowned and let her arms come up to her chest and fold. Her face was serious, but not stern, "Alright then. Explain." Goku's gaze moved upward until their eyes met. Something was gone from this moment - something Goku couldn't directly place. It just didn't feel the same, and somehow he knew it would never be that way again.  
  
"Vegeta's my friend, and I'm Vegeta's friend," he stated strongly, "And I'm possibly his only friend. Ever. Vegeta has had many..bad things happen to him in his life, and for this he hasn't..made the best decisions. He almost lost it today, and I personally cannot blame him."  
  
His wife turned it over in her mind a few times, "Well, I don't understand why he can't deal with his issues like a normal person. It sounds like a personal problem to me." Goku blinked hard as if he wasn't able to fathom the idea that Chi-chi's words produced.  
  
Finally, his voice found him and his thoughts were vocalized, "Chi-chi..that's absolutely correct. You don't understand-" She opened her mouth to speak, but Goku put up his hand, silencing her.  
  
He continued, "-and I believe it's because of your sheltered life. Let's pretend for a minute, shall we? Try to fathom Earth getting blown up and you're the sole survivor. Just try to imagine everyone dying and you being sent off to work for a maniac who assigns you to missions where you kill off entire races of people. Then, all your hopes and dreams are crushed right before your very eyes. You lose everything, and no one is willing to lend a hand. No one cares, and so, you learn not to care. Well, eventually someone does care, and you don't understand why, so you hate them. You hate them because they make you happy. You _actually_ believe you hate someone, and it's because they make you _happy_..Now, if all that happened to you, where do you think you'd be?"  
  
Chi-chi made several attempts to speak, but Goku decided to go on. "Chi-chi...look, that's not even the whole story, but do you sort of know what I'm getting at now?" he asked, wanting nothing more than to go to bed and get some sleep. She closed her mouth, sighed, and shook her head. Some how he found this rather predictable. It'd take a miracle for his wife to understand a single word he said. ...And people called _him_ simple-minded... "I'm really tired," Goku stated flatly, "I'm going to bed." He turned around, not waiting for a response, and went to the bedroom. He didn't bother switching his clothes, he merely fell onto the mattress with a deep sigh, and, almost immediately, he was out.  
  
***  
  
Vegeta had been flying aimlessly, trying to decide where he would go. He had stopped by to pick up his things, and then made his way back towards civilization. He was currently debating his situation on where he would stay. He had no money and no form of identification, and so he couldn't rent a hotel room. He doubted anyone would take a stranger in at random, and anyone who did was likely to want something in return. He hated being in debt.  
  
Inhaling deeply, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes to try to clear his mind. He opened his eyes and maneuvered himself so that he viewed the world upside down. Things just looked so much more interesting upside down rather than right side up.  
  
His gaze focused on the night sky, the tiny dots of light in the vast darkness, some twinkling, some not. He thought about how just now, some light was reaching the Earth, and that the star he looked at now, might not even exist anymore. A ghost, visible, but nothing more. Perhaps he could even see Namek still, and perhaps maybe sometime astronomers would be able to watch its death - sometime in the distant future, when he himself would be dead. He shook his head, closing his eyes again, 'What am I doing?'  
  
He felt queasy. It was as if the day had put a damper on the events of the previous. How long had he slept? How much had he slept? He couldn't remember. One way or the other, he knew he was exhausted. Senzu beans may heal you, but they didn't exactly give you a stamina boost.  
  
He watched the constellations as he flew, as if expecting something to happen. Then suddenly, a large portion of the sky instantly blotted out. He realized he was below something. Curious, he moved upward to see where exactly he was.  
  
He finally floated above a ledge, soft light spilling out into the night. He blinked, eyes instantly adjusting.  
  
A quiet, but deep voice spoke through the shadows, "Hello, Vegeta." The prince blinked again, not moving, not really thinking or feeling anything. "Do you normally fly upside down?" the gruff voice continued with no hostility at all present. The tone sounded rather..respectful.  
  
"No," Vegeta merely replied, turning himself around and landing on the tiled flooring. He gave a quick glance over his current surroundings, recognizing it with only a few moments time.  
  
"So where are you headed to?" Piccolo asked, not moving from his meditating position.  
  
"Why do you ask?" Vegeta replied shortly, tail twitching with mixed signals.  
  
"No ill intentions," Piccolo answered honestly, "but I'm aware you don't have shelter at the moment. I was curious, if you dare call it that."  
  
Vegeta examined him for at least a minute, "Are you..attempting to look out for my..health?"  
  
Piccolo smirked, one eye opening to regard the Saijin prince, "Perhaps. What would you say if I was?" Vegeta picked up on the playfulness in the voice, his tail starting to swing rather than just twitch - he was skeptical, but relaxing.  
  
"I'd probably ask why," the brunette said with honesty. Piccolo paused before letting his legs unfold from their indian style position, moving so his feet touched the ground.  
  
"I'll take your belongings and show you to your room," the Namek spoke almost as if it was a statement.  
  
As Vegeta had said he would, he asked, "Why?"  
  
Piccolo smirked again, arms folding, "You really want to know why?" Vegeta's tail stopped its motions and slowly curled around his waist. He wasn't going to trust the Namek easily, but that was predicted. Piccolo almost chuckled at his actions, but decided against it, "Because I know you on a type of level I don't think anyone else around here can relate to. I was like how you were once were." Vegeta's gaze moved into the depths of Piccolo's eyes, not challenging, but searching, scrutinizing.  
  
His voice was nearly a whisper when he spoke, "You enjoy killing?"  
  
Piccolo gave a small nod, "I did; yes."  
  
Vegeta huffed slightly, clutching his items a bit more, his tail visibly tightening around his waist. It took him a moment to respond, "I still do."  
  
Piccolo's smirk faded to a supportive smile. "That's okay," the Namek said, "I still understand." Green arms extended outward, palms up, "Now if I may take your belongings..?" Vegeta wasn't too sure why, but he handed the small pile to the taller man.  
  
Piccolo turned, cape billowing in the sudden movement, and led him inside the lookout. Vegeta's tail uncurled, swinging behind him once more. A question burned in his mind and he finally gave up and asked it, "Don't you hate me?"  
  
Piccolo abruptly turned to him, "Why would I?"  
  
Vegeta looked up into the black eyes of the Namek again. His eyes moved a bit from side to side - searching the depths in confusion, "I don't understand."  
  
Piccolo gave a small nod, "I didn't expect you to." He motioned for him to follow him again, and five doors down from where they stood was where Piccolo said he'd be staying.  
  
"Piccolo," Vegeta addressed him by his name, "I...would you....." He looked down, as if trying to figure out exactly what he wanted to say, if anything at all.  
  
"Yes, Vegeta?" the elder questioned, waiting patiently.  
  
Vegeta growled lowly towards himself, not able to look at the Namek as he spoke, "I'd..like for you to stay in my company for awhile so we may discuss some points of..interest." Silence came about the peaceful lookout, and the prince prepared to close the door when Piccolo spoke.  
  
"I'd be more than happy to keep you company," the Namek stated, stepping inside stoically and standing to one side of the room, light provided by a variety of candles. Vegeta blinked and silently closed the door, realizing that Piccolo had said "more than happy" in reference to being around him. It was odd because the prince realized how often Piccolo was "happy". Yes, the Namek was content, but not exceedingly "happy". Of course, neither was he. "What would you like to talk about?" Piccolo asked as soon as Vegeta began to settle in.  
  
"I..." Vegeta paused to think about that. He felt like there was something he should talk about, but wasn't exactly sure what. If all else fails, start at the beginning, "Why don't you hate me?" Piccolo's expression almost seemed..soft, but it held the normal gravity it always had. When you're three people in one, it does that sort of thing to you.  
  
"There is no reason to," Piccolo replied, "You have not done anything specifically towards me, and you do not purposely attempt personal attacks. You have played a key role in many fights, and are worthy of recognition. You have proved thus when you destroyed Cell." It was quite an amazing thing and Piccolo was still trying to register the fact completely. Vegeta thought this over as he took a seat on the edge of the bed.  
  
"But you disregard the other factors," the prince said bluntly, lacking emotion.  
  
"Such as?" was the cocky response.  
  
"Such as what occurred between all that," Vegeta said, his eyes meeting the taller man's again, "Such as me coming to Earth and trying to blow it up. Such as..on Kakkarot's birthday..." His voice got slightly quieter when he spoke of that particular incident, and Piccolo, with his superb hearing, was able to catch it easily. The Namek resisted the urge to say: "There's nothing to be ashamed of." He didn't need to treat Vegeta like a small child; that would not go over well at all.  
  
"It's all understandable given the circumstances," Piccolo opted to say, his face relaxing a tiny bit more.  
  
"That's what you believe?" Vegeta said, pulling his feet up and taking off his shoes.  
  
"That's what I believe," Piccolo said with a nod, shifting his weight. Vegeta said nothing, merely pulling his shirt off and placing it next to his shoes on the floor. It didn't appear that he wished to take anything else off, and his tail twitched against the smooth sheets.  
  
Piccolo wished to keep the brunette talking, but wasn't sure what to say. As he examined the prince, he found himself curious, "Where'd you get your scars?"  
  
Vegeta frowned, staring fixedly on some area of the wall. A slight pause ensued before he spoke, "I don't want to talk about it." Silence filled the room, Piccolo looking sympathetically at the younger man. Then abruptly, the prince spat out, "From a rayh-tenk." Of course, Piccolo had no idea what that meant. Vegeta knew this and continued, "The closest translation would be..a hate crime. Except out there hate crime is organized and not so sporadic and maintained as it is on Earth."  
  
Slight confusion set in on the Namek and he softly asked, "Why would you be involved in a hate crime?"  
  
Cold, bitter laughter echoed throughout the room as Vegeta heard Piccolo's response. "I am Saijin, and that is reason enough," Vegeta said calmly.  
  
"How old were you?" Piccolo asked, his voice no longer cautious, but serious.  
  
"What?" the prince almost didn't believe he was being asked this question.  
  
"I said: How old were you?" Piccolo repeated, his voice growing calmer again.  
  
Vegeta breathed for a moment, staring at the wall again. He forced himself to remember, "Nine."  
  
Piccolo grit his teeth together, thinking, 'Shit.' Vegeta continued to stare, his eyes not blinking, his tail twitching. "You should stop dragging yourself down," the Namek pointed out, walking slowly towards the brunette.  
  
Vegeta turned and acknowledged him, "I..."  
  
Piccolo shook his head and carefully took a seat next to Vegeta, keeping a comfortable amount of distance between them, "You don't give yourself enough credit, but hell...I can't make you feel good about yourself."  
  
Vegeta's gaze lowered to the floor, "I don't wish to speak of this."  
  
Piccolo folded his arms smugly, "Alright then, let's talk about..Kakkarot."  
  
The fact Piccolo said the Saijin name instantly caught Vegeta's interest. "What about him?" the prince asked almost..defensively? Piccolo wasn't sure what emotions the shorter man was feeling.  
  
"Well, he's your best friend," Piccolo stated matter-of-factly.  
  
Vegeta's tail fluffed, "..Perhaps."  
  
The Namek released a small, hearty laugh, "It's just like you two to both be in denial!"  
  
The hairs on his tail puffed even more if it was possible, "What do you mean?"  
  
Piccolo gave him a warm smirk, shaking his head, "Nothing. It's just that Goku truly believed you hated him at one point, and he was quite upset because of his strong feelings for you. I think it's amusing how you are wary of calling him your friend even though you've already admitted your feelings."  
  
Vegeta's tail finally smoothed itself out as the prince narrowed his eyes at the Namek, "I didn't say he wasn't, I just said perhaps."  
  
Piccolo gave a smirk as he chuckled, "That is almost pathetic. What are you so afraid of that you can't call him friend?"  
  
Vegeta sighed silently, closing his eyes to think it over, "..because, you don't know."  
  
"Don't know?"  
  
"What it's like," the younger man growled out.  
  
Piccolo let it go and paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "Look," he said, "I've known Goku-- I've known 'Kakkarot' for a long time now. He is a very passionate and caring person, and, yes, he is friendly and kind to everyone, but when he speaks about you it's different. He has friends - good friends - like Krillin and Yamcha, but he has visited you more often in the past month than any of them in the past few years. All I'm saying is that you aren't just another friend in his book - you're someone very special to him, and it's completely obvious."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Why do you keep calling him Kakkarot?" Vegeta finally asked.  
  
"Because I know how you hate it when people call him Goku," Piccolo replied, giving a smile, "I thought you'd like that. Think it respectful or something of the like."  
  
The brunette gave a nod, "..I do."  
  
Piccolo smirked to himself, "Hn... Sleep well, Vegeta. If you need anything you know where to find me."  
  
Vegeta merely watched the Namek go, blowing out the candles in the room for the Saijin.  
  
He lied down on the bed, sensing sleep a bit of ways off. How could he be so tired yet not so tired? It was aggravating. All he wanted to do was sleep so he forget about all this. He wanted to forget about Kakkarot's birthday, forget about killing Cell, and most definitely forget about Kakkarot and his damn "friendship"...  
  
***  
  
Goku awoke in the middle of the night when a cool breeze swept over him. Sitting up, he noticed that the window was open, and carefully getting up (as to not awaken Chi-chi) he stepped towards it to close it. As he took hold of one side of the window he noticed a shimmer in the distance. Curiosity getting the best of him and he casually, silently, leapt out the window to see what it was.  
  
He waited, and again there was a slight glimmer. It came and went, flowing smoothly. With eyebrows knit together he began to approach the tree line where it emitted from, his feet tingling with the sensation of fresh dew against his skin. Closer and closer he came to the shine, and finally he was within reach. It flickered, golden, and his hand grasped it. A hiss was heard from the shadows, followed by a growl, "Let go of my tail _now_."  
  
Goku instantly opened his fist, "Vegeta? What are you doing out here?"  
  
The Super Saijin stepped out into view, "I couldn't sleep."  
  
A sly grin came to Goku's face, "So you woke me up?" Vegeta made a face and if Goku didn't know any better, he'd say it looked like the brunette was pouting. "Hey, it's alright," Goku said, smiling warmly, "What would you like to go do?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets, "Nothing's open this late at night."  
  
Goku looked up in thought while giving a small nod, "Yeah, that's true...Hey! I know!" Placing his hand on Vegeta's shoulder they phased out to reappear in a large open field.  
  
Vegeta looked around at their surrounding in little interest. Goku suddenly smacked his shoulder. "Kakkarot!" Vegeta gaped in surprise, his throat growling lightly, "What was that for!?"  
  
Goku burst out laughing, jumping back a few feet, "TAG! You're it!" Vegeta blinked in surprise before leaping after the black-haired man who he easily tagged. Goku nearly hit himself when he realized why Vegeta had such a great advantage. With minimal effort, he powered up.  
  
"No techniques!" Vegeta instantly shouted out, intent on winning this by skill alone.  
  
Goku chuckled while chasing after the older man, "Fine by me!" They flew around the park at top speed, weaving in and out of trees and playground equipment. He was about to catch the prince when he took an abrupt vertical ascent through the monkey bars. "Clever!" Goku shouted out his compliment, following after Vegeta, intent on tagging him. When the prince hesitated for the slightest of moments, Goku quickly slapped him across the calf before taking off in the opposite direction. Vegeta yelled out a curse word and spun around to chase the renegade Saijin.  
  
They dove and swerved around the swings, the chains rattling in their presence. They zipped through the tunnels and Vegeta was still in hot pursuit. He trailed the younger Saijin down the covered slide and his eyes widened when he saw Goku waiting for him, a grin on his face. Unable to stop in time, Vegeta crashed right into Goku's stomach, sending them both reeling past the playground a good twenty feet or so. Tumbling around in shock, the prince started to snap out of it a moment later, realizing Goku's weight was pressed against him.  
  
Sighing, the prince looked up to see Goku giving him a big grin. "Why the hell did you-" Vegeta began to ask when Goku suddenly attacked his sides with deft fingers. Vegeta cried out in surprise before tossing his head, struggling. "No! Stop it! Kakkarot, I mean it!" the voice was losing all gravity, sinking quickly into small gasps for air. Goku grinned like a mad man, laughing as he let his fingers dance across the hardened stomach. Vegeta wasn't able to hold back any longer, and the laughter came from his throat, rich and warm. In response, Goku's throat rumbled with a purr, even though in between gasps Vegeta was giving him death threats.  
  
After Vegeta proclaimed that he was unable to breathe, however, Goku stopped his assault and let the prince rest. It took a moment, but Vegeta was able to catch his breath, his black eyes opening to look up into Goku's which were equally dark.  
  
Goku acted upon pure emotion - his head dipped down, swiftly catching Vegeta's lips in a tender kiss. The older man gasped, and when Goku pulled back, the prince whispered, "Kakkarot..." Fingers caught the hem of Vegeta's shirt and pulled it up, hands roaming across the same muscles he tickled a moment before. Vegeta's head tipped back, a purr emitting into the air as he was lightly caressed. Goku purred in response as he leaned over, lightly biting at Vegeta's ear.  
  
Goku then felt a small pressure against his body and he looked to see Vegeta's golden tail lightly trail over his clothed legs. Softly the golden tail swept, crossing his thighs in small circles, teasing his hips and waist before returning to his legs. Goku felt his muscles clench, his entire being trembling at the sweet sensations as the tail flicked across his inner thighs, slowly working its way upward.  
  
Goku's breathing faltered, and he whispered, "Vegeta..." The tail brushed up and against the crotch of his pants, applying pressure and swirling. Goku sat for a moment, unable to do anything more than writhe in the beautiful pleasure his prince granted him.  
  
The said prince nipped at his earlobe and whispered back, "Goku..." The younger man's eyebrows knit together in confusion. Vegeta _never_ called him Goku...  
  
"Goku, wake up already!" Chi-chi hollered, shaking him roughly.  
  
Goku released a small moan, lifting his face from the pillows, muttering in a voice barely above a whisper, "Vegeta...?" Still disoriented, he tried to blink away the grogginess as his wife hit him over the head with a pillow.  
  
"Wake up! It's going on noon!" she declared, tossing the pillow away and storming out of the room. Goku took a deep breath and sat up, his arousal obvious in his loose gi.  
  
"Shit," he whispered, eyes widening, face flushing deep red. He growled at himself, angry that he'd dream about Vegeta in such a way. A voice in the back of his head taunted, 'Oh come on..you were trying hard _not_ to dream that while you were awake, how could you _not_ dream it while you were asleep?' He glared down at himself before hissing, "Go away." His body didn't listen. His eyebrows narrowed and he sighed. 'Geez, this is just like me to go home and have a wet dream about him while he's forced to go find some place to spend the night,' Goku fumed, shifting uncomfortably. Suddenly, the rational portion of his brain caught up with his thoughts, 'Wait..That's it!'  
  
Chi-chi heard a thunder of footsteps racing down the hallway and she turned in enough time to see Goku throwing on a jacket. "Wait! Where are you going?" she called out, exasperated.  
  
"Oh! Yeah! That's right!" Goku said, her words triggering his memory on a completely different subject. He raced back over to the counter and picked up his wallet.  
  
"You have a wallet?" Chi-chi asked, completely surprised by this fact.  
  
"Uh huh! Gotta go! 'Have lots to do and little time to do it in!" he replied, jamming the wallet in his back pocket while opening the front door, "Bye!" The door shut and Chi-chi was left standing there, stunned.  
  
***  
  
The morning for the other Saijin was not as abrupt and undesired as Goku's, however. Vegeta awoke in the early hours, before sunrise, relieved that he what he had just witnessed was only a dream. And what a dream that was... It reminded him of the days he spent of Frieza's ship. He closed his eyes, rubbing his face briefly to wipe away the stiffness. He consciously noticed no light entering the room, so it was still before dawn, meaning he had plenty of time to sleep some more. He was wary however, that if he fell asleep now that he'd dream about things similar to what he had just moments before. His eyes looked up at the ceiling even though he couldn't see it through the pitch black.  
  
He could nearly feel the rough, large hands pinning him to the icy metal ground, could almost absorb the lust filled sounds which escaped the breath of his captors so long ago. Almost hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around himself as he felt his jaw clenching harder and harder till it began to hurt. The worst thing about it was that the dream - the nightmare - was worse than the reality. It wasn't fair. He didn't want to even think about it anymore, and here it was, invading his subconscious mind. Not fucking fair. He shivered and his nails dug into his sides, his eyes closing tight. 'God, I'm afraid,' he realized, suddenly feeling sick. He swiftly rolled over and buried his face in the pillow, 'No! I will not be so weak! It's only a dream, it cannot hurt me! I'm acting like a goddamn moron!'  
  
The silence of the room was deafening as Vegeta tried desperately to make his mind think of something else. Anything other than the old memories of long ago. He had nothing to block this out with, and he suddenly wished that he was at Capsule Corp.  
  
Vegeta sat up, tossing off the covers as he made a decision. He fumbled around for a moment before he found his shirt and shoes; and after putting them on, he carefully made his way towards the door. Once outside, he lifted into the air till he was past the lookout, then took an easy decline. He knew he probably shouldn't be doing what he had in mind, but in this case, he saw no other option.  
  
After a few minutes, he landed, and with a deep breath, he opened the door in front of him. The convenience store was exactly how it should of been for early morning - dead. No one was there except for the clerk, who sat reading a magazine. An eight inch, black and white television was on in the background. "Can I help you?" asked the young man. Vegeta stopped and looked at him, which was enough for the guy to turn his attention elsewhere.  
  
The Saijin stepped toward the coolers in the back, almost regretting what he was about to do. With ease he picked up a few cases of beer, as liquor was not to be sold. He strolled nonchalantly towards the door when the clerk stood up. "Hey! You have to pay for that!" the guy said, though he looked extremely nervous. Vegeta stared for a moment, then smirked. Slowly he uncoiled his tail and waved it in the air for the clerk to see. The man swallowed, nearly shaking, "W-Who..? W-What are you?"  
  
Vegeta chuckled smoothly, darkly, "My name is Vegeta."  
  
The guy looked at him with an expression of a kicked puppy, "A-Are you going to kill me?"  
  
Vegeta laughed this time. Oh, sometimes he really did miss seeing the fear in other people's eyes - fear that _he_ implemented.  
  
"No," Vegeta said, his right hand moving out and pushing the door open, the other holding the cases up with no difficulty, "I'm simply going to leave." He stepped outside saying, "Have a nice night."  
  
The clerk fell back into his chair with a sigh, "I'm not even supposed to be here today!"  
  
The minutes passed by quickly and in no time Vegeta returned to the lookout. He set down the cases in his room and instantly pulled out a can, sighing as he opened it. He gulped down the beverage easily, wondering when was the last time he had touched alcohol. It was....Kakkarot's birthday. He drank like a man who hadn't had a drink in days, and the only thing available was beer.  
  
His hand found another can and he opened it as he began to reminisce. He remembered how he drank everything in the house before moving on to..other options. He placed an empty can down and reached for another in the case. He had been surprised when Kakkarot stopped him - amazed that someone would show him that type of concern. His hand set down another empty can. He was grateful now that Kakkarot had stopped him...that blue gunk was awful! Too..gross... He chuckled bitterly, picking up another can.  
  
For some reason he couldn't blame Zarbon for acting the way he did, but he did cross the line on almost every occasion. Insult his abilities as a warrior, but never insult his personal life. His past was not something that anybody really knew about, except for the basic jist. Zarbon, himself, and Kakkarot were the only ones who knew now... His hand searched for another can as he tossed the used one away.  
  
God... Kakkarot _knew_! ...It was almost embarrassing. To know how _weak_ he had been. What a humiliation... But now...now he was a Super Saijin! That aspiration had previously been violently crushed once he found out that _Kakkarot_ had become the warrior of legend. Never before had he heard of multiple Super Saijins, especially within the same millennium! It was amazing, truly... His hand set down a can. Amazing, really... Staring out into space, can after can began to accumulate around him.  
  
***  
  
Piccolo had been in a semi-conscious state when echoes of laughter pulled him from his tranquil position. His ear twitched in the direction of the noise, and he forced himself to take on a standing pose as he tried to make out what was going on around him. He heard the laughter again, coming from the middle of the lookout. It was Vegeta's laughter, unmistakably. With curiosity getting the best of him, he walked towards the source, noting that Vegeta was not in the room he had given him. He was a few doors back - in the bath.  
  
'What is that Saijin doing?' Piccolo wondered to himself, giving a small knock on the door that went unnoticed. "Vegeta?" he called out, but only laughter was his response. With a breath, he turned the knob on the door and pushed, peeking his head inside the doorway, "What are you-" He abruptly halted his question as his eyes laid upon Vegeta in the bathtub.  
  
The prince looked over at him and gave a wave, "Hey there!" Vegeta switched positions, still waving happily.  
  
"What is that _smell_?" Piccolo finally asked. Stepping towards the smaller man, his eyes noted the large amount of empty beer cans.  
  
"After I drank a c-c-case," Vegeta chuckled as he began to explain, "I got the best idea!" Piccolo froze in his footsteps, watching Vegeta slip and fall into the tub ungracefully. The tail jutted in the air, whipping around wildly in shock before the prince pulled himself back up.  
  
"You didn't," the Namek said, shaking his head. He didn't especially want to deal with a drunken Saijin at the moment, but it appeared that his wishes would not be granted.  
  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow innocently, "Do what?"  
  
He stepped forward and confirmed his suspicions, gazing unhappily down at the prince and the tub. Vegeta chuckled again and leaned back, his tail flopping around, splashing the Namek. Piccolo let his eye ridges narrow as he tried his best not to get upset. "How much time did you waste?" Piccolo asked bluntly, "Putting all those cans in to fill the tub.."  
  
Vegeta looked up in thought, his tail circling in the liquid like a shark, "Hm...I don't know, I had to stop once and get some more cases."  
  
Piccolo shook his head slightly, taking a seat on the edge of the tub. 'He just didn't decide to get drunk for no reason,' the Namek thought to himself, careful not to let Vegeta splash him. "So why did you start drinking?" Piccolo asked, drawing his cape closer to himself.  
  
"Why?" the brunette asked, his expression falling to somber, "Because I couldn't stop thinking about.._it_..."  
  
Piccolo raised an eye ridge, pressing him on further, "What couldn't you stop thinking about?"  
  
Vegeta's tail curled tightly as he switched positions - hunching in the back of the tub, "You know..._it_... How-How-How I'm...you know...you know, I'm just not a warrior. I'm just not cracked up to be a Super Saijin... 'Thinking about how I couldn't stop.._it_...." The last part was barely above a whisper.  
  
The Namek felt a growing nervousness pitting itself in his stomach, "Stop it?"  
  
Vegeta shook his head a few times before plainly looking down, shameful tears coming to his eyes, "I was...I am still...I think I will always, always be...too _weak_... It's paTHETIC! I'M - that's me and no one else - IIII'M..the Prince of Saijins, and IIII can't even stop people from..from.. taking...'taking advantage' of me...oh no, no, no. I can't do it...I'm dependent because I'm _weak_..."  
  
Piccolo looked down at the Saijin, concern and worry radiating from his gaze, "It's over now, they can't hurt you..."  
  
Vegeta sniffed, his tail wrapping around his waist, "They'll come back, sometime... It always comes back in the end..."  
  
Piccolo leaned down, speaking softly, "You don't have to face it alone." The brunette let his eyes meet the Namek's.  
  
Suddenly, he leapt forward, leaning against the edge of the tub, "Kakkarot! ..Kakkarot....he...." Vegeta trailed off, letting silent sobs overtake him. Piccolo cursed himself for forcing this upon the prince, but sometimes it was better that one dealt with unresolved issues.  
  
Hesitantly, the green-skinned man reached forward to lightly rub at Vegeta's back. Then, he thought better of it, "Hey, it's okay now. Let's get you out of that tub so you can take a shower, and get cleaned up, ok?" Vegeta merely slumped, having lost all will to move voluntarily. Piccolo carefully picked him up.  
  
"Kakkarot..!" Vegeta wailed, "Does he...he hate me too...?" Piccolo glanced at his face, wondering if Vegeta was always a melancholy drunk, or whether this was an exception.  
  
He wrapped the brunette in a towel before lifting him up, "No, Kakkarot doesn't hate you. Kakkarot is your friend."  
  
Vegeta echoed, "Friend..."  
  
The trip to the showers was silent, and Piccolo set the Saijin down to turn on the hot water. As Piccolo reached for Vegeta, the prince spoke again, "Kakkarot...he really likes me?"  
  
Piccolo nodded, "Yes, he really likes you." He removed the towel from the younger man.  
  
The prince suddenly snapped at him, pushing him away, "God, NO! Don't hurt me!" Piccolo looked at him, confused. Vegeta grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his naked body. "Please...don't...don't touch me," he whispered, shivering, sobbing. "God, don't touch me, please.. I'm sorry, I'll do anything, just don't..." he called out, curling up into a ball.  
  
'Shit..what happened to him?' Piccolo cursed mentally, kneeling next to the distraught brunette. "Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I was just going to get you into the shower so you can get clean," Piccolo explained.  
  
Foggy, black eyes dared a hesitant look at the Namek, "I'm so tired..of fighting and losing..."  
  
Piccolo again shook his head, "You just let your emotions get a hold of you, that's all."  
  
Vegeta sniffed a few times, his eyes red and his expression strained, "I try to pretend like I don't feel."  
  
Piccolo nodded in agreement, "I know."  
  
Vegeta released an odd sound, like bitten-off laughter, "But the truth is..that I feel too much." He bowed his head in shame.  
  
They sat in silence for a moment.  
  
"Let's get you in the shower," Piccolo declared, wrapping his arms under the prince's shoulders and carrying him under the spray. He was rather surprised that the brunette let him do it, but he did seem quite out of it.  
  
He let Vegeta lean against the wall as he prepared the soap and washcloth, praying the soapy smell would override the odor of alcohol. He rubbed the smaller man's back stoically, intent on getting the man clean and into bed where he could get much needed rest. Vegeta sighed and let go of the towel so that his tail could unwind from his waist.  
  
Piccolo quickly lathered the prince's body up, obviously avoiding some areas. He was surprised at one fact however - the amount of scars Vegeta had across his body. Now that he thought about it, he'd only seen Vegeta wear body suits and t-shirt/slacks combos. No wonder.  
  
He took the shampoo and began to wash the prince's hair. He was amazed when the spiky points had begun to collect together and finally fall flat. The prince looked _much_ different with his hair down.  
  
The pale-skinned warrior released a small noise that had the Namek curious. Hands lathered shampoo and ran through dark brown strands. Vegeta let out a breath, mumbling, "Nice..." A scalp massage was probably one of the better ways to calm down the Saijin prince.  
  
"Okay," Piccolo said, letting the water rinse out the suds-filled hair, "Now all that's left is your stinking tail." A correct statement considering the appendage reeked of beer. The prince said nothing, merely letting the water rinse out his hair which cascaded down his back. Lathering his hands with shampoo again, Piccolo lightly caught the tail - knowing how painful it was to fully grasp it - and began to run his palms over it in an attempt to work in the soap.  
  
Vegeta gasped and tossed his head back, eyes wide. Piccolo, worried that he had hurt the man, loosened his grip and stroked even lighter, but the prince still made a few choking noises before leaning against the nearest wall, his knees shaking. Panting, the prince rasped out, "Oh god...!" The Namek decided to stop, but the tail wound around his wrist snuggly.  
  
"Are you okay??" Piccolo asked when the younger man whimpered. "Vegeta," Piccolo's voice held a stern statement, as if he was trying to gain the prince's attention. Another whimper and the tail began to run itself through Piccolo's fingers. Surprised, Piccolo allowed him to do as he wished, though the entire situation seemed a bit odd.  
  
Vegeta's body suddenly tightened like a bow, his breaths coming in quiet little pants, "K...K........Kakkarot...!" Piccolo pulled back, acting almost instinctively as the brunette obviously thought he was someone else. The brown fuzz looked for his arm, but Piccolo stepped out of reach. Heavy-lidded eyes turned to question, the black orbs hazy with what Piccolo dared to call desire.  
  
Raising an eye ridge in confusion, the look was quickly torn off of his face as another slapped him hard - shock. From shock it went immediately to embarrassment as Piccolo couldn't deny the erection the prince's body proudly stuck in the air. Acting wisely, Piccolo reached around the brunette and turned the spray from a nice steaming hot to a nice ice cold. Vegeta yelped, leapt out of the shower, grabbed a towel on the nearest rack, and wrapped it around himself.  
  
'That was a little too uncomfortable for my tastes,' Piccolo thought to himself as he shut off the water, 'Let's just hope Vegeta doesn't remember that, otherwise I think he'll try to avoid me until the day one of us dies.' The prince, however, was too busy catching his breath to do much of anything else - especially in his drunken state.  
  
Piccolo pointed his hand towards himself, and in a small flash, his clothes were returned to normal. Likewise, he outstretched his palm towards the brunette, giving him a set of clothes identical to the ones he was wearing previously. The prince blinked before dropping his towel, letting the Namek pick him up and carry him to his room.  
  
After being put into the soft cushions. Vegeta spoke again, his voice low, almost husky, "Why would...Kakkarot touch my tail like that?" Piccolo sighed silently and shook his head, not answering the prince's question. Vegeta relaxed, his throat rumbling again with the same sound as before, only now Piccolo could recognize it: a purr. "So nice..." the prince whispered, his eyes closing, "So gentle...always..so gentle....no one has ever..touched me like..that...." Once it was evident that Vegeta had finally drifted off to sleep, Piccolo gave a deep sigh.  
  
'Tomorrow is going to be a long day,' he thought, carefully and silently removing himself from the room. He returned to his normal meditating spot to review all that had occurred within the short period of time.  
  
'Why did Vegeta react like that to me touching his tail? So all Saijins get aroused if you do that, or is he an exception to the rule? If touching a Saijin's tail is supposed to hurt but it felt good for him, what does that mean?' he pondered, 'And he mistook me for Goku. Perhaps that was wishful thinking, but what if it was just the alcohol talking?'  
  
Deciding to let things be for the moment, Piccolo cast all questions to the side so he could relax. Besides, he also knew how Vegeta was likely to feel in the morning, or whenever it was when he'd wake up. 


	12. b: The Prince of Saijins and It

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', //Two slashes is sign language//.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 10b**  
aka **The Prince of Saijins and It**  
  
_"Unwanted - live my life in shame/  
Who's to blame for my mistakes?"_  
-Puddle of Mudd "Drift & Die"  
  
As it turned out, the prince decided to awake in the morning, but it wasn't a pleasant experience. He stumbled outside and began cursing up a storm, stunning Dende and Mr. Popo. He cursed the sun mostly, but he did mention a few other things at random, like his aching body and pounding head. Even looking at him you could tell he felt like shit because he, blatantly, looked like shit.  
  
"Well, that's what you get for drinking so much," Piccolo informed as he helped guide Vegeta back to his room, "Are you hungry?"  
  
The brunette shook his head slightly and groaned, "God, I can't think about eating right now..." Small steps were made down the hall so Vegeta wouldn't lose his balance. "Oh god, wait," Vegeta suddenly said, tapping on Piccolo's arm, "Shit...damnit..."  
  
Piccolo looked at him in concern, "What is it?" Vegeta growled low in his throat, something that surprised the Namek. Sometimes he looked too human.  
  
Vegeta shifted uncomfortably, "Damnit! I've got to piss like a race horse!" Piccolo flushed at the statement, and redirected them towards the bathroom. Luckily, Mr. Popo had been kind enough to clean up the place as soon as he awakened. The tub had been emptied and completely cleaned to the very last speck. The whole room smelled new and fresh with not even a hint of alcohol lingering anywhere.  
  
"Here," Piccolo ushered him into the room and then through a side door which lead into the restroom area. Squinting, Vegeta managed to find a urinal and unzip his pants without a major problem. Piccolo clenched his teeth as he had to stay and help hold the Saijin up. The prince's body was too worn out at the moment - or was it perhaps his mind? Either way, Vegeta wasn't able to stand up without some type of help. As if to further embarrass the Namek, Vegeta let out a moan of relief as he went about his business. Frustrated, Piccolo yelled at him, "Just how much did you drink!?"  
  
Vegeta cringed, tipping his head away from the green-skinned man, "Not so loud..!"  
  
Piccolo sighed again, muttering an apology, 'I guess they have huge bladders to match their huge stomachs.'  
  
Finally, Vegeta was finished, and Piccolo happily took him back to his room. "Get some rest," the Namek suggested, "and I'll go get you an ice pack." Vegeta grabbed his wrist before he was able to fully turn away. Piccolo looked down at him, one eyeridge raised.  
  
The prince took a couple breaths before speaking lowly, "Last night...I...I didn't do anything stupid, did I?"  
  
Piccolo took a few breaths himself, "What do you mean?"  
  
Vegeta shook his head before looking away, letting his eyes stay closed, "What'd I do...?"  
  
Piccolo shrugged a little to keep the mood casual, "Nothing much, laughed a bit, got smashed...filled a bath tub with beer and bathed in it..." He decided to leave out other certain details.  
  
Vegeta gave a small half-moan half-growl directed toward himself before he buried his face in a pillow, letting go of his grasp on the Namek. The muffled voice of the younger man attempted to escape the cushions, "I can't believe this shit..." Piccolo frowned, but let the brunette be, choosing to go out in search of an ice pack instead.  
  
He returned to find Vegeta face up, but with his arm covering his face, whispering something. His ears twitched, picking up little pieces of it: "Koto...arak...sha...shavv...etu...Kakkarot....harrah? Och...och..."  
  
The Namek approached the bed, "Saijin?"  
  
Vegeta instantly uncovered his face, "What?"  
  
Piccolo chuckled, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, placing a towel-wrapped ice pack on the prince's forehead, "To me it just sounded like that language was so natural to you."  
  
The brunette's expression changed to one of realization. Vegeta sighed, holding the pack against himself more firmly, "Oh... Perhaps..."  
  
Piccolo shook his head slightly, sporting a smirk, "Get some rest...I'll check on you later..."  
  
The prince cleared his throat before replying, "No. Why don't you stay?"  
  
Piccolo halted in his steps, "What did you say?"  
  
Firmly, but quietly, Vegeta said, "You heard me."  
  
The Namek smirked at the attitude, 'It seems he's recovering well..' Carefully, Piccolo took a seat at the foot of the bed, "You would like to talk about something."  
  
Vegeta gave a tiny nod, "I would like for you to explain this."  
  
Piccolo raised an eyeridge, "This?"  
  
Vegeta was silent and tense for a moment, "Yes. This...ah...relationship...between us. Explain."  
  
Piccolo relaxed slightly at the simple nature of the question, "Unless you have some type of objection, I view us as not only allies, comrades, and..associates, but friends as well. Does this upset you in any type of way?"  
  
Vegeta seemed to think about it before answering, "..I guess not..."  
  
Piccolo smiled warmly at that before continuing, "I could bullshit around about how you're so great and all, but I'd rather not. Blatantly, I'd like you as my friend because I like you, Vegeta. I don't think anything you do can change that. I've seen you commit acts of murder, but I know, on some very basic level, how you feel. I was down that road myself. I just want you to know that you don't have to do it alone."  
  
There was a moment of silence before Vegeta sighed, "Nhgh...my head hurts."  
  
Piccolo chuckled before standing up, "Like I said...that's what you get for drinking."  
  
Vegeta grumbled, closing his eyes, "Really? I would think it would be because of the bath tub that'd do it."  
  
Piccolo smirked and gave a small shrug, "That might have been it."  
  
The door suddenly swung open and the young Namek entered. "Hello, Vegeta?" Dende called out, approaching the bed hesitantly.  
  
The prince sighed, wishing the pounding in his head would go away, "What is it?"  
  
The new guardian smiled faintly, "Goku dropped by for a second. He wanted to relay a message to you."  
  
Vegeta abruptly sat up, but found that quick movements were a bad idea. Groaning, the brunette fell back onto the bed, holding the pack more tightly against himself. Hissing, Vegeta managed to speak with the child, "What..What did Kakkarot say?"  
  
Dende bowed his head slightly, but spoke up a bit to make up for it, "He said he was busy today and wished to send his deepest regrets. He said tomorrow would be a more suitable day to do something."  
  
Vegeta nodded, smirking faintly, "Oh yeah. I agree with that one." He winced and rearranged his ice pack, "I think you better go, I feel a migraine coming on." Piccolo turned to leave, muttering something about getting food in the Saijin's stomach before he was out of earshot. The door closed silently, leaving Vegeta alone.  
  
"Namek, I don't understand," Vegeta whispered as he looked up at the ceiling through slitted eyes, "Are you trying to 'help' me..?" For some reason his eyelids felt heavy. The pain in his head ebbed slightly as his eyes drifted shut. How many hours of sleep did he get anyway? He couldn't remember...  
  
He could remember feeling a worse pain than he was now. How his head felt when it was partially split open. When his busted lips swelled and bled....  
  
_A person from the group slammed him against the wall, enjoying the loud smack that emitted. Hands went to his throat, holding tightly, choking, squeezing. Clawing at the hands, he refused to cry out. No, he would not. He had made that vow to himself and he would not break it. He would not speak again, especially when there was no need for it.  
  
He felt blood oozing from the wound on his skull. It matted his hair, the thick liquid congealing in a jelly-like mess. It trickled down behind his ear, towards his neck. Someone slapped him across the cheek, stingingly bitter; though this was the least of his problems as the hands gripped into him, bruising him, slowly crushing his windpipe. He attempted to gasp but no air could go through, and he could not make any type of noise. His vocal cords were useless, even if he resorted to that option.  
  
The strong hands picked him up, forcing him to hunch. He felt blood spill out of his mouth, dripping from his inflamed lips. In an instant, his body slammed against the ground, his lungs desperately trying to gain enough air to calm his body. He moved, starting to get upon his hands and knees to get away, but more hands reached out, grabbing his tail, pulling him back. The pain was too intense, too magnified - and he screamed. A brief outburst, but a sharp cry nonetheless. He heard voices talking and laughing. One of them said something. Something about giving him "a gift to remember them by". They paused, discussing briefly in their native tongue. As they spoke, he thought.  
  
'Och....Och! Preh Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht! Preh Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht eti Proh otre OCH!' he mentally screamed, trying to get his breathing under control, though his attempts seemed futile. Hands pulled again, dragging him across the hard earth. Frozen in pain, his head scraped against the ground. He watched the trail of blood grow longer and longer. His tail was twisted, bent, broken. The hands left the useless appendage, choosing to take his shoulders and toss him onto his back.  
  
He was restrained, and suddenly artic ice bit him. Quickly it acted, splitting his skin, carving deeply into his flesh. He was able to gasp, but he refused to scream this time. Taunts filled his ears, as well as curses of, "Mu'takki Saijin!" Being held in place, the ice attacked him again. Digging into him, tearing his muscles in his shoulder, chest, and arm - the ice became heat, lancing his nerves. He felt another slash, this time across his shin. Crimson liquid poured from him, running down his skin onto the floor. They laughed at him, mocked him, insulted him.  
  
Hands released him, and he used pure willpower to move. He staggered to his feet, head lifting to see a brilliant ball of yellow light. His mouth opened in surprise as the raging ki raced toward him. It slammed him into the wall and cracked his head, forcing another river of blood. He gasped for air and looked down at his exposed innards. Blackened flesh edged the hole of his midsection. The white of bone covered in red was proof of ribs and spine. Yet still he stood. In shock, and numb, but still - he stood.  
  
Even as they reached inside and tore out his intestines - he still stood. He stood as they held up the entrails as a goreish trophy, rejoicing at their triumph. Stood as they bathed themselves in his blood. Stood as they ate their trophy, noisily, sickeningly. He stood, black spots dotting his vision. He stood, thinking, '..Och...' He coughed lightly, tasting the copper of his blood. He thought again, '..Och...' And he fell._  
  
Vegeta's eyes opened, his hands darting to his stomach. The irrational fear that he was injured lingered from his dream. He cursed himself slightly and ran a hand through his hair. How long had he slept? He wasn't sure, but he was feeling much better regardless of his odd "nightmare". With a sigh, he began to trace the evidence of old wounds.  
  
For some reason "victory scars" came to mind. In a way they were. He was..stronger now. He was unafraid. Bold. Yes, these scars were a victory for him - for he had survived. His eyebrows furrowed, recalling the dream, and its ending. The ending was of course, not true to life. Where had that come from? He closed his eyes to review it over in his head. It suddenly dawned upon him what could have given him such a reaction that he'd be bothered subconsciously.  
  
_"Kakkarot, you idiot!"  
The blast tore at him, shredded him, like a vicious, angry monster, using its claws to tear him apart layer by layer.  
"V-Vegeta!!" Kakkarot screamed in terror..._  
  
It was one of the stupidest things he had ever done, and yet, if he had died in saving Kakkarot, he felt as if it would have been worth it. Kakkarot always found a way to win.  
  
Kakkarot...why did his mind always wander to him? What was so special about him? Other than the fact that he was so indescribably good-natured and perfect in every aspect he could never be... He was so innocent and pure, but he loved to be in the brunette's company. Did the third class not see that being around this prince would taint his soul? Did he not see what a wretched, black heart he contained? How could that man want to be his friend, much less, stand his presence? He couldn't understand how they ended up in the relationship that they had.  
  
The black-haired Saijin was forgiving, compassionate, caring, and capable - while he was cold, dark, needlessly violent, and ruthless. They were so unlike and yet they appeared to be "friends". It was so strange! In fact, it was nearly too strange to bear. He had never had someone care about him other than himself. Piccolo had said that Kakkarot viewed him as someone special. But why? Why would he? What was so special about him?  
  
A knock came at the door, and Vegeta sat up, noting how he felt much better. "Come in," the prince said, throwing the covers to the side as he turned in position.  
  
Piccolo cracked the door open, "You feel hungry?"  
  
Vegeta sighed and gave a shrug, "Yeah, sure. Why not.."  
  
The Namek entered and brought a cart stacked with food in along with him. "Help yourself," Piccolo declared before he slipped out of the room silently. Vegeta grabbed a plate and dug in. Once he tasted the food his appetite instantly skyrocketed. With no one around, he ate ferociously, but careful enough not to spill anything onto himself. Within minutes, the pile of dishes were clean - literally - as the brunette had even licked them. Damn, he had been hungry... How could he have not realized it? True, it had been hectic the last couple days..  
  
Sighing, Vegeta fell back against the plush bed, stretching out.  
  
He frowned, thinking it all over. The whole..suicide thing. Why should he care about what others thought of him? Why should he care what lies Zarbon spread about him? No...he didn't care. He only cared about...  
  
'Kakkarot,' Vegeta thought, blinking slowly, 'Ever since I heard about him, I've..chased after him. It was so painful for him - the last of my kind - to reject me. Painful, also, for him to beat me down and spare my life. Then the embarrassment of allying with him - of being saved by him. And then, only to lose it all before I could witness it.  
  
'Frieza...the pain...the humiliation...the tears... I had never cried before, but I did that day. It was everything. Frieza. The years. The losses. The..weakness. Everything. I just couldn't take it anymore. That's why when I came back, I decided not to care anymore... There was no use in trying, so I let it go. I let it all go...but I never forgot about him. I could not.'  
  
He could not forget a man who smiled when seeing him. Could not forget a man that gave up his time to spend it with him. Could not forget the memories they made together.  
  
He cared about Kakkarot and what Kakkarot thought of him. He was involved. Did this make him dependent?  
  
He smiled faintly, almost sadly, as he whispered, "Kakkarot..." He wondered why Kakkarot hadn't been able to see him today. He shook his head at his own foolishness. 'Idiot,' he told himself, 'He has a family. After almost dying, of course they'd want to see him.' For some reason, he felt himself grow exceedingly jealous. No one ran to him when he was in trouble. No one supported him in his worst of times. No one raised a finger to help him when he was in need. No one looked after him when he felt down - they merely turned the other cheek. No one cared for him like they did for Kakkarot, or any of the other Z warriors. No one cared...  
  
_A faint pressure on his shoulder and a sob, "Oh god, Vegeta, why...?"  
"No, Vegeta, no..." a whisper was spoken as light, soft brushes were caressing his face._  
  
God...Kakkarot really cared about him..? Truly cared for him? He closed his eyes and put his right arm over his face so his nose rested in the nook of his elbow. Caring and trusting were merely words to him, used by the weak. But he was weak, wasn't he?  
  
A part of him screamed, Of course not! Certainly, yes, he had flaws and mistakes. Nothing can be perfect, he granted. However, whatever he lacked in physical strength he made up elsewhere. For example, he was nearly a master of the art of intimidation. This was not the easiest thing to accomplish when your height was not to your advantage.  
  
He had also been complimented on his excellent tactical decisions. If there had been a plan that required X amount of people, Y amount of money, and Z amount of time - Vegeta would find a way to cut everything in half.  
  
So yes, it was true. Brawn was not everything. He was weak, and yet...not weak.  
  
He was so confused.  
  
What had happened when his way of life had been taken away? Why could he not make any definite decisions since then? What had changed in those brief moments of death, that caused him to lose control? Maybe, because he failed himself and lost his life, he didn't feel secure with any aspect when he returned.  
  
The way death had felt...a whirlwind of calm. Bitter sweet and dark, it had enveloped him, seeping into every pore and saturating him to the bone. Death was wondrously silent, not even a ringing in his ears existed - just silence. He had drifted, no weight, no gravity, no mass.  
  
Drifting there, he felt everything run together, overlap, and rearrange itself. His thoughts swirled and came to one point, like liquid being poured through a funnel. His whole life simply came together, being analyzed before being spat back at him.  
  
The answer to his troubles came to him. To all the problems he hadn't been able to solve. The losses, the failures, the pain, the humiliation, the embarrassment, the torture, Frieza, Zarbon, Kakkarot... It was all too much. Too much for him to take anymore. Not by himself. He lost so much..._too_ much. He felt like everything was a lie. The words his father spoke to him...  
  
He wasn't strong. He wasn't a powerful warrior. He wasn't even a prince. He had been a slave - a servant. A slave for Freiza of all available tyrants - the one who had killed all his people save for three.  
  
The fact he had never avenged his own species' destruction... Ironic, almost. He committed genocide and yet it wasn't fair that his own race was obliterated? How painfully amusing. How pathetic.  
  
For years he had thought of himself as a powerful prince, but, after fighting Zarbon and Frieza, he knew better. He knew then. When he died, he knew the truth. This time though, when he came back to Earth, he accepted it. He was nothing. Nothing. And if he simply disappeared, no one would care. So why should he?  
  
Now though....Now what was he? The prince again? He shook his head as if to help clear his thoughts. 'Preh Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht,' he declared mentally before adding, '....uru Preh Proch.' His eyes opened and he looked up at the ceiling, letting everything clear from him for a moment. 'Eti, Kakkarot...Nreh Nroch..' he admitted, a smile coming to his lips. He wasn't sure what was so funny about the situation though, but it felt like something to laugh over. "Yes, third class," he whispered, almost chuckling at the situation and himself, "You aren't what you appear to be." A knock on the door interrupted his ponderings.  
  
Piccolo stepped inside and offered a small smile, "Good, you ate."  
  
Vegeta sat up and responded with a nod, "Yes. My compliments to the cook."  
  
Piccolo smirked, grabbing the empty cart and pushing it towards the door, "So you're feeling better I take it?"  
  
Vegeta's tail twitched as the prince thought for a moment. "Perhaps," the brunette said, smirking coyly.  
  
Piccolo returned the look before making a gesture, "Come on." Vegeta raised an eyebrow, looking suddenly suspicious. "I won't bite," the Namek promised, opening the door, "Come on." Hesitantly, the prince nodded, moving to gather his shirt and shoes. After quickly putting the items on, he headed out with Piccolo who pushed the cart to the side in the hall - for he knew Mr. Popo would take care of it. Piccolo answered the unspoken question he knew Vegeta was asking, "I want to show you something. It's not a long flight."  
  
Without another word, he leapt into the air, hoping the Saijin would decide to follow. He smiled inwardly when he noticed that he did. He was probably a bit skeptical about up and going some place he probably had never been to before, but nonetheless, Vegeta was following him. 'Good,' Piccolo thought to himself, relaxing slightly, 'He at least trusts me.' The Namek had been correct about the flight time - they arrived at their destination within a few minutes.  
  
Vegeta took a quick sweep of the area. A forest crept in from all directions before receding slightly - making room for the river which got its source of power from a large waterfall. The roar was loud, but not deafening. It was almost peaceful in a way. "This is where I used to meditate," Piccolo informed, floating about halfway up the waterfall. He situated his legs indian style before looking up at Vegeta who still hovered, "Well, are you going to join me?"  
  
The prince paused before slowly descending himself to eye level with Piccolo, "What, do you want me to meditate with you?"  
  
Piccolo smirked, "Is there a problem with that?"  
  
The brunette thought it over, hesitating slightly, "..No."  
  
Piccolo tipped his head to one side as he thought over the situation, "When was the last time you meditated?"  
  
He was not given a reply.  
  
"No answer means far too long," the Namek said, "Come on, then."  
  
Vegeta sighed and gave in. He mirrored Piccolo's stance and closed his eyes. Meditation...Meditation... He was supposed to clear his mind and focus. Yeah, okay. He could humor the green-skinned alien. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.  
  
Not once did Piccolo attempt to make small talk with him. Apparently, he was content in leaving the prince alone. So he probably wouldn't of gotten upset upon learning that Vegeta fell asleep.  
  
He slept oddly. It was a welcoming slumber - a good rest, but he dreamt of strange things.  
  
He dreamt of himself in his Saijin armor. Armor that had long since been destroyed. _It glittered and gleamed in even the faintest of light, as if it was proud to be adorned by the prince. It reflected, now, a hot, yellow sun that was so intense it was nearly white. It baked the earth below his feet, and cooked the rotting corpses across the fields. A path of destruction had laid waste on this planet, and it had been lead by him. He was angry, today. Not only that, but hungry and tired as well.  
  
He was twenty years old, and yet, he was only seven. No, maybe not that young in either case, but he was an adult, and yet, a child.  
  
He stared down at the mutilated flesh before his feet. The skin was as white as snow, and the insides a soft pink. His stomach growled and, with a snarl, he snapped off an appendage and began to feast.  
  
It did not taste all that pleasing, but he was ravenous - starving. He closed his eyes as he gorged himself, unable to watch himself act in such a manner. Blood was smeared over his hands as teeth tore through tough tendons and bones.  
  
He had heard a rumor once - that if you ate the flesh of another person you inherited their strength. He wondered if it was possible to inherit their weakness. At last, he disregarded the lore. This was not an act of dominance or self-improvement, but merely a necessity to continue living.  
  
And why should he have that glorious benefit when all he sought was to take it away from others?  
  
At that point, it was unquestionable. It would be for years to come.  
  
_"Fuck those weaklings."_  
  
Weak because they could not stop him. Weak because they could not challenge their oppressor. Weak because they all died.  
  
Weak. Just like the Saijins.  
  
Weak because they did not submit, nor went out with a fight. Weak in their conformity. Their simplicity. Their lack of..uniqueness.  
  
Who was he referring to? He was no longer certain. The seven year old was pompously stating it was these fallen before him. The twenty year old spoke softly that he - Vegeta - simply was the Prince of Saijins. The manifestations never offered an easy choice, so rather, he decided that he obviously was speaking of himself.  
  
Who else refused to fully succumb to an overbearing power, yet fail to fight it? Who else conformed with the standards presented, thereby living what they had so-called learned? Who else was so simple-minded that they could narrowly be matched by an animal? Who else lacked individualism by yielding it to the person responsible for their dilemma?  
  
Who else was this fucking stupid?  
  
It was funny how you can take innocence, but can't put it upon yourself. If he could, he would've been an angel by now. Just like... _him_.  
  
Kakkarot. His bane.  
  
In an instant, he was in a rural, desert location. Across the sweltering, baked dirt and under the sharp blue sky, he stood awaiting for his enemy to attack. His friend. He - Vegeta - was there, and yet...he was not. He was distant and far away, put under lock and key where he liked it. He let _it_ take control. It wanted this claim. It wanted this power. It wanted this control. It wanted to stoke its internal fires of ego, feeding it the blood of this traitor. This friend.  
  
He's lost control. He'd lose control. He'd wanted power. He had power. He possessed power. He'd had pride. He'd lost pride. He lacked.  
  
He feared.  
  
A fist greeted his jaw with ferocity, jostling his teeth and busting his lip. Blood and saliva were unwillingly knocked out of his mouth...  
  
Arms carefully embraced him, holding him gently immobile...  
  
'I...I shed my noble blood for this piece of **trash**..!!'  
The traitor!  
  
"How can I hate the only person who understands me? How can I hate someone who makes _me_ happy?"  
The friend..._  
  
Vegeta opened his eyes and disentangled himself. He ran a hand through his hair quickly, "Well....That was interesting to say the least." He hadn't spoken it towards Piccolo, but merely had thought out loud. He turned away, floating up a few yards to look across the forest and to the horizon. The dream was merrily playing havoc on his nerves and emotions. It was difficult because we constantly had the urge to contradict himself. He had no idea what he should be feeling, and it was frustrating.  
  
The Namek silently came up behind him, barely resting his hand on Vegeta's shoulders. The prince visibly tensed at the contact, his tail hugging his waist tightly.  
  
"Sometimes," Piccolo whispered, looking out at the horizon as well, "you don't think you can tell anybody something, when it's really you don't have the right person to tell."  
  
A pause ensued before Vegeta replied, "So what exactly do you want me to say?"  
  
Piccolo massaged the shoulders lightly, abruptly stopping and withdrawing when he spoke again, "You don't have to say anything. I'm just offering my ears to talk to, that's all."  
  
Vegeta shook his head slightly, murmuring, "Ears to talk to? Quite some ears to offer, indeed..."  
  
Piccolo smiled, flying around to the other side of him, "Well, it's getting late, I think we should head back. Knowing you, you'll be hungry soon enough."  
  
Vegeta's tail uncoiled, deciding to idly swing back and forth, "Just because I eat a lot doesn't mean I'm hungry all the time."  
  
Piccolo chuckled again, "So you're not hungry?"  
  
Vegeta frowned, glancing elsewhere, "Well...that's not my point..."  
  
The Namek laughed a smooth, dark, quiet rumble, "Then let's go eat."  
  
They landed on the lookout to find that Mr. Popo had already prepared for their arrival. A large table had been set up in the main hall, decked out with plates upon plates of food. Four chairs lined it, two on each side. Candles were placed at the center, their holders were detailed statues of Shenron the Eternal Dragon - a nice touch. The chairs were a wood - what type Vegeta wasn't sure of, nor did he care, but he did notice that they had been stained a reddish color - which went along with the plush part of the furniture. Velvet covered various parts which held padding, such as the back, seat, and arms. The rest was exposed wooden frame, but it suited the atmosphere nicely.  
  
As Vegeta ate, he soon found that he was the _only_ one eating. He stopped for a second, swallowing what he had in his mouth before asking, "What?"  
  
Dende nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the prince's voice, "W-What?"  
  
Vegeta slurped down some pasta before answering, "Why aren't you eating?"  
  
Piccolo picked up a glass of water in front of him, "Nameks don't need to eat. They only need water to survive." He promptly took a few gulps before setting the glass down.  
  
Mr. Popo decided to add in, "I've already eaten."  
  
Vegeta looked across the table and raised an eyebrow, "So, this is all for me then?"  
  
The genie nodded, "We've had to provide for Goku-"  
  
Piccolo interrupted him softly, "Kakkarot."  
  
Mr. Popo looked at the elder Namek for a moment, quite surprised at the correction, "We've had to provide for..'Kakkarot'..before. We know how much a Saijin eats."  
  
Vegeta grabbed the next plate over, "Hn. Is that so? Who do you think eats more?" The prince easily devoured the meat off of bone, chewing it thoroughly while he waited for a response.  
  
"I'd have to say..'Kakkarot'..eats more," Mr. Popo declared, obviously not used to the Saijin name when he spoke it.  
  
"Hn. Yes," Vegeta agreed with a nod, nearly inhaling some rolls, "Kakkarot is larger than me." He lifted a bowl of soup and drank it all within one breath.  
  
"That still doesn't mean you won't clear off this table," Piccolo pointed out before taking another gulp of water. Vegeta glanced at him, giving him a smirk as he began scarfing down on some pork chops.  
  
He ate wolfishly, but still with an air of carefulness, for he never made a mess. And even though it took a long time for him to complete his meal, the two Nameks and the gardener stayed with him. He stretched afterward, his tail fluffing from the base to the tip and back, giving it the appearance of an odd wave.  
  
"I approve," the prince said, running his hand over his stomach, "It was excellent." Mr. Popo looked very pleased with himself as he began to clean up the dishes.  
  
Dende smiled as he stood, "Well, that's good news." Piccolo stood as well, finishing off his drink before turning and looking out across the vast sky. Vegeta gathered himself and joined Piccolo. Dende worked his way around the table, stepping next to the brunette. "You know," he murmured softly, but distinctly, "you are welcome here anytime." Vegeta said nothing, only giving the younger Namek a small nod. "Sleep well," the guardian said his farewell before turning and going on his way. The Saijin and the elder Namek stood together, neither talking, both just enjoying the peace around them.  
  
Piccolo finally spoke, his voice a near murmur, "I just want you to know that whatever is spoken between us, stays between us."  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes and nodded before opening them, "I understand, Piccolo." They stood then, listening to the wind. After the light from the sun was nearly gone, Vegeta turned to head in for the night.  
  
"Sleep well, Prince Vegeta," Piccolo said, not moving from his position.  
  
"Tza-Tza," Vegeta said simply. He paused suddenly and looked over his shoulder as Piccolo looked over his. "Ditto," Vegeta explained. He gave a casual, lopsided smile, "I like to use languages I've picked up, so I remember them. I like to pretend that knowing them may come in handy some day." Piccolo smiled and answered with a nod before turning away from the brunette. Vegeta turned as well, heading towards his temporary room.  
  
The candles were lit when he walked inside, and the bed had been made. Also, his belongings had been put upon a dresser in neat piles with the clothes all washed. He kicked off his shoes and easily peeled off his shirt, tossing it onto the floor. He sighed and let himself fall back onto the bed. He felt himself growing tired very quickly, despite the nap he had had earlier. Vegeta stretched himself out, yawning silently as he did so with the tail fluffing itself. He suddenly felt very fatigued, but very relaxed, and very lazy. His tail twitched, almost flopped, back and forth across the mattress causing near-silent thumps to fill the air.  
  
His mind suddenly recalled the dream from the previous night, causing him to tense up. He glared at nothing, rolled on his side, and curled up slightly. His tail no longer twitched as enthusiastically as it just had.  
  
Ever since that day so long ago... he couldn't stand physical contact outside of battle. Could barely stand it _in_ battle. It was agony to a Saijin, to want a fight, but yet being partially disabled. When he still had his pride, it hurt him greatly, because it was such a monstrosity - because he was such a monstrosity. Later, he had learned to accept it, and it became natural to shy away from people. He had all the reasons to stay away from people already, the fact that he didn't want to be touched was just the icing on the cake. He had never felt comfortable when nearby someone else, and he thought this would never change.  
  
However, as of late, he'd found himself in the company of others more and more frequently. It had started with Trunks approaching him, then Kakkarot, and - finally - Piccolo. A part of him wallowed in the attention, while another part despised it. In return, it made his reactions seemingly sporadic and unpredictable.  
  
Oh god, he was so confused... He'd _been_ so confused, for so long now. Ever since that fight with Kakkarot. Ever since that fight.  
  
It was so odd: he had spent his previous days either trying desperately to intoxicate his blood stream with alcohol or lounging about in his room doing absolutely nothing. Often times he had pondered away, which was interesting with everything considering - his species was a war-like race, and hardly scientific or overly curious. He remembered that certain time in early afternoon on Kakkarot's birthday, and he chuckled without really knowing why. He recalled the handstand and the way his imagination had run rampant. He recalled how often he thought of space. How often he thought of home. Or rather, what _was_ home. He no longer had a home.  
  
Now, he pondered again. Even with all the technological advances in the universe, there was still some things left unexplained. To Vegeta, it was both fascinating and frightening - a secret he kept well to himself. It wasn't just the unknown; it was, specifically, the monstrous destructive force that haunted the very lonesome depths of his being. Nappa once told him that everyone had an irrational fear. Vegeta had simply laughed. Silently though, he had wondered whether his hidden nightmare was irrational or not. If one fears heights, but has never left the ground, is that an irrational fear? The context only works if it meant death to those who left the ground. His fear prevailed, but so did his musings.  
  
Since the reign of the Cold family, there had been a steady decline of education throughout the universe. He had noted that overall it looked like he'd been one of the lucky few who had been able to play student as well as servant. A servant who's duty, who's job was to commit genocide.  
  
So fucking pathetic - that his life revolved around death.  
  
Not just his, though. So many others had been bound to that fate as well.  
  
...And if they weren't careful..cutthroats, thieves, and petty criminals would end up ruling the galaxies, and the great scientists would become nothing but dust. Sometimes he thought this wouldn't be such a bad thing. Just watch chaos ensue and people destroy themselves. Mention a scientist whose theory had revolutionized technology for systems abroad and people stare at you blankly. Mention the Purger of Planets, the Murderer of Millions, the Silent Slayer.._then_ you have earned yourself a conversation.  
  
Even if it all ended - years upon years later - the masses of dust and gas would come together due to gravity to start it all over again. It'd form an accretion disk which would spin to conserve angular momentum, and then..... Vegeta blinked in surprise. He knew all this boring drivel and he was a _warrior_. The memories came back to him, still fresh after their decades of entombment. It had been when he was small, after just recently becoming an acquirement of Frieza...  
  
_"Your normal teacher is out sick, so Professor Goran'dja will be your instructor for today," Dodoria said in a normal military tone, stopping abruptly before a door. Vegeta looked up at the elite, giving a nod. The older male opened the door and nudged the prince inside, muttering, "Brat.." Vegeta immediately noticed the lack of lights the room normally had blaring. Their was, instead, a soft glow from space that was much appreciated in its place. A figure stood by a window, overlooking a "nearby" galaxy that the ship was passing.  
  
"Good evening, Vegeta," the Professor spoke, mimicking the words with his hands at the same time, "Do you like..space?"  
  
The small prince approached the taller man, giving a shrug while answering, //Such things don't mean much to me.//  
  
Goran'dja smiled pleasantly at the child. After a moment, he finally replied, "Did you know there are more mysteries and more galaxies in the universe than there are cells in your body?" Vegeta's eyebrows raised at that one. Biology class had taught him that there was, as he liked to say to himself, a "heckuva lot" of cells in his body. The Professor nodded, continuing, "No matter how advanced we are, we still don't know exactly how this all started - and by this, I mean life. They still don't know. Isn't that amazing?" The young prince gave a shrug, taking a seat that was provided.  
  
"Today, Vegeta, we expand your vocabulary as instructed," the Professor said, still mimicking, "but we'll also do much more than that." Vegeta looked up at the alien strangely, raising an eyebrow and looking almost suspicious. "Look out the window," said the taller male, gesturing. Vegeta sighed, really not interested, but he complied anyway. Disobeying his instructor would be like disobeying Frieza and he did **not** want to do that.  
  
After gazing for a second, he looked back at the Professor.  
  
"What do you see?" the substitute asked, tipping his head slightly.  
  
Vegeta shrugged again, //Stars...space...//  
  
Mr. Goran'dja inquired, "Galaxies?" Vegeta gave a half-shrug half-nod. "Vegeta, do you know what a galaxy is?" his teacher asked simply, and in a non-threatening manner. The prince looked over the form before him, noting the frailty of the creature's figure. Tall, but mostly skeletal, this being wasn't meant to fight, but rather to teach like it was now. The face bore a short snout, like a cross between a dog and a cat. The eyes had a dark violet pupil that was surrounded by a swirling mass of navy and purple - not something he saw everyday. And for some reason he felt like he'd never see them again.  
  
//It is..owned by Freiza,// the Saijin said slowly, cautiously.  
  
Professor Goran'dja shook his head, explaining, "A galaxy is a huge collection of stellar and interstellar matter isolated in space and bound together by its own gravity. Did you know there are different types of galaxies?" Vegeta merely shook his head. "There are several types, all different depending on their appearance," the Professor said, looking out the window again, "Do you know how planets form?" Vegeta, again, shook his head. The alien knelt, looking at him eye level, a sparkle in his eyes, "Interstellar gas and dust will start to be pulled together by gravity. All things have a gravitational pull on one another, no matter how minute. The pull will start the matter spinning, so that it will conserve angular momentum. It'll form an accretion disk and eventually, a planet. Depending on the system that it's in depends if it will harbor life or not."  
  
Vegeta looked down for a moment before saying, //My planet no longer exists.//  
  
The Professor replied, //Neither does mine.//  
  
A smile was shared between the two. A silent understanding. A silent bond.  
  
"Do you know what the surface of a black hole is called?" Professor Goran'dja continued at random.  
  
Vegeta paused here. Then, as if he was trying too hard at something, he smirked and said, //The surface?//  
  
A slight laugh came from the taller male, "It's called the event horizon. Because it's as far as we can see into a black hole. The center, or location of the black hole is called a singularity. Why do you think they call it that?"  
  
Vegeta gave a tiny shrug, looking down at his feet, //Because there's only one point?//  
  
The Professor smiled warmly, "I think that's a good enough answer. Did you know that not even light can escape a black hole?"  
  
Vegeta looked back up and shook his head. Then suddenly, he shook it harder, turning it into a nod.  
  
"You did know that?" the sub asked, slightly impressed. It was something that was common knowledge on his planet, but something that the elites on this ship didn't comprehend.  
  
Vegeta simply nodded again.  
  
"Amazing. And here I thought you were all just shit-for-brains," the Professor laughed heartily, "Pardon my foul language, though I'm sure even you probably curse much harsher than that. So..they do teach you something of worth, do they?"  
  
//No,// Vegeta admitted, //I..learnt that myself.//  
  
"Wonderful!" Mr. Goran'dja said before continuing on.  
  
He explained, answered questions, and taught the prince something the man obviously enjoyed. Yes, the boy expanded on his vocabulary like he was supposed to, but something else had been shared. This man had a passion for learning and teaching, where as the prince was a warrior. Education wasn't necessary, not unless it involved new techniques for battle. Even so, the small brunette had found himself fascinated by all the astounding facts the Professor had to offer. So, when it came to the end of the day, instead of waving, Vegeta mouthed, "Good-bye." He never saw Professor Goran'dja again._ Vegeta was asleep in a matter of moments, his breath steady and his mind at ease. He dozed off and soon dreamed. In his dream, he was on board a ship overlooking a galaxy cluster...  
  
_He sat alone, his hands in his lap, not moving for once. A figure was there then, but the presence wasn't threatening. He looked over to see a small child like he himself was, but this boy had black, unruly hair. "Hi," said the boy, beaming happily, "What's your name?" Vegeta looked away from him and back out the window, ignoring him. The boy frowned and sat down beside him, "Are you upset? You look like you're upset over something."  
  
Vegeta finally spoke to him, //My planet is gone. My species nearly extinct. My family is dead.//  
  
The boy seemed to think this over for a moment, before gesturing with his hands as well, //My planet, too, is gone. My species is nearly extinct as well. My family is also dead.//  
  
Vegeta looked at the boy who was now smiling at him. //How can you be happy?// Vegeta asked in amazement.  
  
The black eyes looked into his own, radiating warmth, //Because, Jakaht..Nreh Nroch, eti Preh Proch.//_


	13. c: The Rochatievatatu

A/N: The breakdown of communication for those that need it: "Double quotes is regular speech", 'Single quotes is thoughts', 'Single quotes in italics is telepathy OR a memory of what someone else has said (it should be obvious which)', Two slashes is sign language.  
  
Also, FF.net is good for deleting characters it doesn't deem worthy, so who knows if other chapters, or even this chapter, is going to suddenly miss out on something like asterick (star) or the double slash.  
  
This version of the fic does not exceed the R rating. Most of the fic is considered PG-13.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 10c**  
aka **The Rochatiev-atatu**  
  
_"Well, I don't know why I came here tonight/  
I got the feeling that something ain't right/  
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair/  
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs/  
Clowns to the left of me; Jokers to the right/  
Here I am; Stuck in the middle with you"_  
-Stealers Wheel "Stuck in the Middle With You"  
  
Goku appeared in the dark room, careful not to make a sound. He had wanted so desperately to see how Vegeta was, after being away from him the entire day. He hadn't been able to even speak to him in person really, but he blamed himself for that. He would've been able to if he had woken up earlier, but he was pressured for time and merely left his message with Dende.  
  
He felt a bit..giddy..though. He had accomplished all he wanted to do within the day except see Vegeta. And now he had teleported himself to the man without thinking twice. Almost thankfully, he had come into a pitch black room, and almost even better was the fact that steady breathing filled the air, which meant Vegeta was asleep. 'Thank god he's getting some rest,' Goku thought, daring himself to sit on the edge of the bed. Once he completed the act, it suddenly seemed like such an intimate thing to do. He dared not to move. It bothered him that he was intruding like this, but it made him feel good to know that Vegeta was relaxed and sleeping.  
  
Tomorrow was going to be a long day, he thought. Not just for him, but for Vegeta has well. It was full of uncertainty, perhaps a bit more-so than regular days. Well, who was he kidding? It wasn't just "a bit more"; it was "a whole lot more". It simultaneously thrilled and terrified him. Yet, there was no use in wasting valuable sleeping hours. With hesitance, he stood - carefully - and put two fingers to his forehead. Then, he was gone.  
  
He returned, however, in mid-morning. He had dressed differently, choosing to leave his normal gi at home. He always wore it, and frankly he felt like he needed a change in his life. So, digging through the closet, he had found a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a black A-Shirt. He slipped the items on before putting some socks and tennis shoes on as well. Goku acted quickly and quietly, He stuffed some other articles of clothing he liked in a duffel bag, and grabbed his wallet before using the Instant Transmission.  
  
When he arrived, he set down the bag and once again took up the position on the bed. This time, he sat next to the prince, and wondered if he should wake him or merely let him rest some more. The choice was made for him when Vegeta rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. Blinking a few times, Vegeta focused on the figure above him. In shock, the brunette backed away slightly, "Kakkarot?" He had clearly been disturbed by the notion that someone could come up beside him in his sleep and he not realize it.  
  
Goku laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand before replying, "Uh...yeah.. I was just about to wake you up!" He didn't want Vegeta to think..well, he wasn't sure _what_ he didn't want Vegeta to think. After an interrogating stare, the prince sat up and stretched. Goku watched his tail fluff, curl, twine, and untwine. The odd dance it performed made him want to hold it in his hands and feel its silky essence. Oddly, a shiver ran up his spine just at the thought. Then, a strange type of uncomfortable silence came about, and Goku decided to stand. Vegeta got up and took a shirt off of the dresser, slipping it on. He then grabbed some socks before sitting on the edge of the bed, putting them on as well.  
  
His shoes were next and he finally decided to speak up, "Where are we going?"  
  
Goku picked up his duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder, "I thought you might enjoy a nice one on one game."  
  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow, putting his hands in his pockets as he stood, "What kind of one on one game?"  
  
Goku was forced to pause as his perverted mind _had_ to grin at the question. "Racquetball," the black-haired Saijin was able to squeeze out in a normal voice.  
  
Vegeta nodded slightly, approving the idea. He said, "Okay."  
  
Goku smiled as he walked up to the prince, "This'll be fun, I swear." He placed his hand on Vegeta's shoulder and they were gone from the lookout.  
  
They reappeared inside of a locker room, which was thankfully empty. Goku found a locker and stuffed his bag in there before turning towards the door. Vegeta followed with the assumption that the younger man knew where he was going.  
  
Goku led him through two sets of doors, which brought them to the workout room of the gym they were at, but he ignored the equipment and turned down towards a glass wall which showed an empty room inside. Nearby was two racks, one which held tennis rackets, the other, a set of rubber balls. Goku grabbed two rackets and a ball. He tossed the extra racket to Vegeta.  
  
The prince was a little bit confused - for he had seen what tennis was, but this..he wasn't able to figure out. Goku smiled at him and opened the glass door, and after they were inside, he closed and locked it. "How about...every time the ball hits the opposite wall it earns a point. That sound good enough?" Goku asked, gripping his racket comfortably.  
  
The prince approached the other side of the court, "Yeah, that sounds fine."  
  
Goku waited till Vegeta looked as if he was ready before bouncing the ball on the ground. "Here it comes!" he shouted, lightly tapping the ball, bouncing it over to Vegeta easily. The brunette tapped it back, realizing that Goku had intended to warm-up. They exchanged the small sphere a few more times, each time attempting to make it more difficult for the other to hit it and bounce it back.  
  
Soon enough, all out warfare had begun, a loud smack emitting each time the ball hit a racket and launched its return. The two Saijins were sweating, moving faster and faster after each fluid motion of a swing. They leapt into the air, motions becoming a blur as the flew up and down, left and right. It was unspoken knowledge between the two that whoever scored first would finish the game and end it, merely because the game would last too long otherwise. Already they'd been in there for a few hours at least, and the intense game of concentration was starting to loose its grandeur.  
  
'This is taking forever,' Vegeta thought to himself, grunting as he had to stretch a bit father than he should have to prevent a miss on his part, 'We're too evenly matched. Neither of us will score for a long time.' Realizing this, it made the brunette rather irritated, and wishing for the game to be over with, he made his decision.  
  
With a brief bit of effort he pushed his ki up to max instantaneously. His hair flared to life, moving much like the upswept mane would do if it were true fire. Goku instantly faltered for a fraction of a second, which was the intended plan. With a good holler, Vegeta smacked the ball as hard as he could. Goku moved to counter, but the ball simply tore through his racket and continued on through the glass wall, ricocheting a few times before deciding to hit someone on the head, instantly rendering them unconscious. Vegeta blinked at the end result of winning the game and instantly began to laugh.  
  
"Vegeta, he could be seriously injured!" Goku scolded, though sporting a small, almost shy, smirk. This merely made the prince laugh harder, however. Goku tried his best to look upset as he dragged the prince out of the room and back towards the lockers. Once they were alone, the black-haired Saijin spoke again. "That wasn't funny," Goku attempted to state, because Vegeta interrupted him with more laughing.  
  
He let the prince laugh for two reasons. One was that he knew whatever he said now would probably only make Vegeta laugh even more, and his anger would probably only amuse the prince further. Two was that Vegeta rarely got to laugh and he needed all the happiness he would get, not only because it was good for him, but because he deserved it. After a minute or so, Vegeta began to calm down and Goku spoke softly to him as he opened up his locker to get his things, "You might want to power down."  
  
Vegeta hadn't realized he was still holding his Super Saijin form, and he slowly decreased his ki, his hair fading colors as he did so. This truly interested Goku, but he forced himself not to look at the other Saijin as he pulled his things out. 'How come when he turns Super Saijin his hair changes like that instead of flashing solid like mine?' Goku thought while he set down his duffel bag and opened it, 'And he doesn't seem to have difficulty changing. I had difficulty at first. ..I just don't get it!'  
  
As he pulled out his change in attire, he managed a sideways glance at the prince, noting his now solemn expression. The brunette had his arms folded as he leaned against the lockers, his gaze focused downwards with a distantness in it. "I'm..going to take a shower before we go," Goku announced, feeling slightly awkward as he began to strip, not because he was stripping, but merely because he had decided to state his course of action. As he pulled off his shirt, Goku looked over at the prince, wondering why the other man hadn't given a response. Vegeta's eyes met his, and Goku sensed something strangely..mysterious in the black depths.  
  
Vegeta replied as Goku untied the knot on his sweatpants, "Alright. I suppose I'll take one as well." Instead of removing his clothing, however, Vegeta turned and made his way towards the showers. Goku sighed silently as he watched Vegeta go, the cotton pants sliding off of his form and puddling on the ground. He picked up the pants, his eyes still locked on the figure of the Saijin prince who was moving farther and farther away from him. Only a moment later did he realize that he was staring intently at Vegeta's tail which swung back and forth with each step. Goku blinked, his eyes refocusing as his hands jammed the workout clothes into the bag . His line of sight switched from the tail to other assets and instantly the black-haired man felt a swarm of heat flood his body. He looked away, hastily zipping up the duffel bag, 'I've got to stop doing that.'  
  
He grabbed his things and made his way towards the showers, hearing the patter of water on tiled floor. 'He must already be in,' thought Goku as he rounded the corner, passing the bathroom. As he turned around the last corner, his suspicions were confirmed when he saw Vegeta's clothes piled onto a countertop. Goku set his bag up there, as well as his change in attire. He moved towards a random stall and slipped inside, turning on the hot water, and closing the curtain. The liquid poured down on him and he grabbed the complimentary shampoo, lathering it partially in his hands before massaging it into his hair. He gave a deep sigh as he worked in the soap, his throat instantly bursting out a purr.  
  
This wasn't a new sensation, for Goku had always known for a scalp massage to calm him, and he never minded to wash his hair because of the relaxing sensations it spurred. He grabbed the shampoo bottle and poured a generous amount in his hands, making a low sound in his throat as he attempted to work all of the substance into his hair. He leaned back against the stall, slowly moving his fingers around as hot water cascaded over his body, working against tightened muscles. His eyes opened slightly, two slits gazing into space as he felt like he could fall asleep standing up. He leaned onto the back of his stall for support, running his fingers through his hair before he let his hands fall to his sides.  
  
He probably would have dozed off if it wasn't for Vegeta, however. Through some strange stroke of luck, his curtain was slightly open, letting him look outside of the stall. This wasn't the luck though; what was "lucky" about the situation was that his line of vision matched up exactly to a small gap between Vegeta's curtain and the wall of the prince's stall. His eyes widened and he froze in place, unable to look away from the small sliver of what he saw.  
  
He gawked at pale skin that was wondrously toned and looked incredibly smooth to the touch. Vegeta shampooed his own hair, Goku noticing the way his hair fell back when wet, like his own did. His eyes roamed up and down, following the curve of the spine, the shape of the muscles, the sheer masculine beauty flanked with scars. His chest radiated another purr as he caught sight of the dark brown tail. His eyes hooded themselves back down to slits as he overviewed the prince, taking his air in by gulps.  
  
He envisioned his hands wrapping around the wet, furry appendage. He imagined running his hands up and down it before finally taking the tip into his mouth and sucking on it, leaving his hands free to roam across that pale skin. He thought of feeling across the smooth expanses of the prince's chest, drawing concentric circles slowly downwards until he lightly trailed lower and felt slick fur. He dreamed of the soft cry his prince would release, and found himself biting back a soft cry of his own. Somehow, he shook himself out of his dream world, trying to pace his breath as he looked down at his erection in frustration.  
  
He cursed under his breath as he stood up straight, mentally berating himself. He tried to make a decision over what to do, but the longer he thought the more painfully engorged he got. 'Go away,' he begged, 'Just _go away_.' His eyes closed again, trying to will away his arousal, though it didn't seem to be working. Giving up on yelling at it, Goku merely continued with his shower, ignoring all throbs from below the waist, no matter how powerful they got. He rinsed out his hair thoroughly, and quickly washed the rest of his body, turning the water temperature down just for good measure.  
  
It finally did 'go away' as Goku had demanded of it, and he gave a sigh of relief. Pulling open the curtain, the black-haired man grabbed the nearest towel. He dried himself swiftly and vigorously as he wanted to get back into some warm clothes. Goku ran the towel over his hair quickly, but after getting most of the water out just decided to let it air dry. He tossed the towel to the side and grabbed his change of clothes. He slipped on a pair of black pleated pants and a simple matching black t-shirt which he left untucked. Hopping himself up on the counter, he pulled on his socks and began to put on his shoes when Vegeta came into view.  
  
He pushed a strand of hair away from his face and tightened his grip on the towel around his waist. Despite the fact that Goku had seen much more than a bare chest, the younger felt his cheeks turn warm at the sight before him. Vegeta looked up at him questioningly, and Goku faltered for something to say. "I have some more clothes if you'd like a clean change," Goku spat out the first thing he could think of. Vegeta narrowed his eyes, as if examining him to search for motives.  
  
"I'll see what you have," the prince declared, leaning against the counter.  
  
After seeing the choices for clothing, Vegeta opted to wear Goku's clothes over his own, and even though they were larger, they were also clean. He settled for a pair of dark blue jeans, which barely clung to his hips, and a light blue, sleeveless v-neck. Like Goku, he chose not to tuck in his shirt, though he doubted it would look nice even if he did because of the lack of belt to hold his pants to their proper height. He also accepted a clean pair of socks, which felt highly comfortable due to the thickness of the cotton. "C'mon," Goku said as Vegeta was putting on his shoes, and he himself was jamming the prince's dirty clothes in his duffel bag, "I have something to show you."  
  
Vegeta paused as he was obviously taken aback. He slowly replied, "Okay..."  
  
Goku's lips upturned into a large, warm smile. "Let me just drop this off real quick," the black-haired Saijin gestured to the duffel bag. With a nod from Vegeta, Goku flickered out only to come almost instantly back, minus the bag. Without a word, the younger man then transported them outside, and from there, Goku took to the air. After a minute though, Goku heard the prince call out for him to "wait up". He immediately stopped his flight and looked back.  
  
Vegeta slowly approached him, his face dark pink from a blush as he muttered, "I believe I need a belt." Goku glanced down, noting the way Vegeta had fisted his hands around the waist of his pants. He resisted the urge to laugh and knew better than to make a comment.  
  
"Well, we're almost there," the younger Saijin announced, flying backward a bit as if to entice the prince to follow. Vegeta sighed and gave him a look. Goku gestured with a small toss of his head for Vegeta to come along, then he turned and continued in the same direction he had been heading in.  
  
The two Saijins flew relatively low to the ground, heading farther and farther away from the city they had just been in. Vegeta glanced down, noting how Goku was following a two-lane road. He glanced ahead, seeing the road extend on to the horizon, towards another city. Instead of following the road more, Goku turned off, veering towards the right for a long while before spinning around suddenly.  
  
"Close your eyes," Goku said with a huge grin on his face.  
  
Vegeta instantly replied, "Why?"  
  
Goku actually pouted, "C'mon..just close your eyes." The prince clutched the waist of the pants a bit tighter before slowly closing his eyes. His hearing instantly increased, picking up the slightest noise. He listened to his own breath for a few seconds, and then he wondered what was going on. He sensed something covering his eyes and he instantly tensed up. "No peeking," the younger man said, carefully guiding the brunette down towards the earth.  
  
'What is going on..!?' Vegeta asked himself again, wondering what it was he'd have to face when they arrived. As they descended, Vegeta couldn't help but note the light scent from Goku's hands, and the earthly aroma that wafted in around him. He heard the rustling of leaves and knew that he was in a forest. Why were they in a forest? What didn't Kakkarot want him to see? The situation made him uneasy, and indiscreetly the prince slowly wrapped his tail around his waist.  
  
"Almost there," Goku whispered as he helped move Vegeta around for about twenty more seconds until their feet touched the ground.  
  
"Okay..what is it now?" Vegeta asked, wishing for his sight to be restored.  
  
"Patience, patience..." Goku replied, sounding rather smug as well as..excited? Vegeta furrowed his eyebrows and frowned slightly as they began to walk. It was only a short distance before they stopped again. "Okay," Goku whispered, removing his hands, "You can look now." The prince opened his eyes and blinked.  
  
He wasn't sure what to make of the situation, and he merely stood, blinking, "Er..."  
  
Goku walked around him, glancing at the prince, "What do you think?"  
  
Vegeta slightly tipped his head to one side, examining the small house before him. The architecture wasn't fancy, it appeared to be made out of some lighter colored stone, and it lacked outside decorations. Vegeta really wasn't sure what to make of it. In fact, he had no idea why the other Saijin was showing it to him. Goku looked back at him, an odd twinkle in his eyes, "Come look inside." He nearly ran up to the front door, and opened it for Vegeta, holding the door while the brunette passed through.  
  
Vegeta looked around the entryway which held nothing exciting. The next room they entered was presumably the living room. He noted a bookshelf covered with various paper and hardbacks in the upper right-hand corner; a mirror on the wall was just to the left of it. There was a few various paintings spread out - most of them depicting scenes of battle, or a victory. There was a plush, navy couch which had a matching chair and ottoman. A big screen T.V. rested opposite of the couch, laying in an entertainment center, the other contents unknown because all the other panels were shut. A coffee table rested in between the couch and the T.V., made of metal and glass with a stack of cup rests to one side. Beside the couch, and the chair, was a small table adorning a simple lamp with a dark shade. The last large thing to notice was a cupboard of sorts on the left wall, which had its doors closed. Weaponry was part of the decor as well. A particular sword that was hanging reminded him of Trunks' own blade.  
  
"Kakkarot..?" Vegeta finally decided to ask, "What is this?"  
  
Goku turned to him, smiling brilliantly, "..Happy birthday, Vegeta."  
  
The prince blinked a few times before his expression fell, "And how would you know when my birthday is!?"  
  
Goku seemed taken aback by the prince's outburst, "Hey, calm down! What do you mean, Vegeta?"  
  
The brunette growled while folding his arms; the tip of his tail puffed while the rest of the fur seemed to cling to the skin even closer than usual."You... You..._toushtatae_!" he shouted, so angry that he couldn't find the proper curse word in a language Goku'd know, "**I** don't even know when my birthday is!"  
  
Goku was flabbergasted, "You don't??"  
  
Vegeta sneered a bit and nodded, "So I don't understand what you're trying to do here."  
  
Goku flushed slightly out of embarrassment, "Well...I do have..sources..you know. I have..friends in high places." Vegeta looked at him questioningly. "King Kai," Goku explained, rubbing the back of his neck, "I had him look it up. Although since you're from another planet with a different cycle, apparently your birthday changes from year to year."  
  
Vegeta refocused his gaze as Goku took a step closer to him, "This though..." Goku regained the prince's full attention and he finished the thought, "This is..for you. I knew you didn't have a place to stay so I..."  
  
Vegeta appeared to be surprised by the news, "Kakkarot, you really didn't....buy this place for me, did you?"  
  
Goku flushed a deeper shade of pink, "Well...yeah. Is everything ok? ..Do you hate it?" The prince was torn. One half of him said he should be berating the third class for taking such a liberty, but the other half was very flattered at the notion and liked a constant roof over its head.  
  
Vegeta examined the surroundings once more. It seemed to be in reasonable taste. Seeing the approval in Vegeta's expression, Goku made a motion, "Come on! Take a look around!" Vegeta paused for a moment, but when Goku began to walk off he decided to just go ahead and see what the black-haired man had done.  
  
The hallway had tapestries hung on it. Deep colors lined with gold gave them an aura of age - navy, dark green, and maroon, mostly with intricate designs woven in. Finally, Goku came to a door, and he waited for Vegeta to catch up. "Here," the younger Saijin said, his smile returning in full force. The prince gave him a small nod and Goku opened the door revealing a light blue colored room.  
  
The queen-sized bed was in the center of the room, pushed back against the wall - with what appeared to be an iron bar backboard. It had a navy comforter over the mattress and pillows, hiding the matching sheets below. A picture was placed directly above and behind the bed, an odd piece that consisted of sunlight breaking through an overcast sky into an ocean which eventually metamorphed into space by the bottom of the painting. A nightstand stood to the left side of the bed, a small copper colored banker's lamp adorning its top as well as a leather-bound book. To the right of the room was two dressers, one on the same wall as the bed, and a larger one to the right. The one that was in line with the bed only had two drawers, and where the bottom one should have been there was merely a shelf, filled with little trinkets. The top of it held a stereo system, though the speakers were placed in the upper corners of the room.  
  
The other dresser had matching candlesticks on either end. They weren't very large, and they were made of pewter. They had carvings of mythical creatures on them, and, able to hold five candles, both adorned five dark silver candles. A table runner lined the dresser under the candlesticks, and it matched the tapestries in the hall. It was a deep blue with gold lined down it. Inside the gold outline was a paisley pattern made up of navy and black. The ends of the runner were pointed, with matching tassels. Windows were behind this dresser, a combination of a lighter blue and navy drapes hanging down on either side in front of the blinds. A door also was beside this dresser, apparently leading to an outside porch.  
  
The wall to the left held two things: a picture and a door. This door seemed to lead into a bathroom, and the picture was a surprisingly accurate depiction of Planet Vegeta's natural beauty. It was a montage of scenes almost like that of Earth - with deserts, forests, oceans, and plains - the exception being that a red sky replaced a blue one, and some of the foliage definitely looked different from that of Earth's. The fourth wall had wooden sliding doors with almost gothic looking engravings upon them; he naturally assumed that these doors lead into the closet.  
  
"How did you get this painting?" Vegeta immediately asked, pointing to the one in question - the one of their home world.  
  
"I told you already," Goku said, breaking out into a smirk, "I have friends in high places... So, do you like it?"  
  
Vegeta took a deep breath and held it for a moment. There was something about this place that made him feel..calm, but he couldn't place what it was. "It's..." Vegeta searched for the word, "...alright."  
  
Goku merely took this as a green light and smiled in response, beaming with pride, "Then I am overjoyed, my prince." Vegeta shot him a look, but Goku missed it as he turned to sit on the edge of the bed. "Check the dressers," the young man suggested as he flopped back and put his hands behind his head. Almost cautiously, the prince complied. He knelt and opened a bottom drawer. He raised an eyebrow and pulled out a few pairs of pants, ranging in styles, colors, and fabrics. Most of them were jeans.  
  
"Kakkarot, how do you know my waist size??" the brunette asked, heavily apprehensive now.  
  
Goku tried to resist a blush, "A lucky guess? Um..that and judging by your swimsuit size.."  
  
Vegeta glanced at the pants before stuffing them back in, "I see.." His tail began to swing back and forth and Goku's eyes instantly locked upon it. He zoned out, looking at the dark brown appendage in delight as it moved slowly and smoothly in the air. He nearly began to drool when a sudden outburst from Vegeta interrupted his train of thought. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" the prince screamed, his cheeks bright red in contrast to his pale skin.  
  
Goku felt himself get nervous and he nearly broke a sweat, "What's what..?"  
  
Vegeta held up an article of clothing for him to see, "THIS!!"  
  
It was a pair of boxers, but they weren't any ordinary type that Vegeta had ever seen. Goku blushed himself when he looked at them. They were black, but more importantly, they were see-through. "Hey, they must've come in a pack that I bought!" Goku defended himself, "See if there's anymore in there.." Vegeta grumbled as he dug through the drawer, finding a white pair and a grey pair of the same style.  
  
"Here!" the prince yelled, balling up the boxer shorts and throwing them at Goku.  
  
The younger Saijin laughed, "What? Do you want me to put them on or something?"  
  
Vegeta froze, his tail bristling as it became stiff as a board, "W-_What_?" Goku chuckled slightly before slipping into the bathroom, muttering something that the prince couldn't catch. Vegeta took this time to see if there was any more bizarre clothing hiding in a drawer waiting for him. Luckily, he didn't find anything else too disturbing, and he moved on to the other dresser. The top drawer contained stacks of CDs, all of them unknown to him, though a few artists or titles sounded vaguely familiar. The next drawer down was empty, and the shelf of trinkets, Vegeta observed, were mementos from the various places he had visited with Goku.  
  
"So, what do you think?" Goku's voice came through the air, startling the older Saijin. Vegeta turned to glare at him, but instantly his eyes widened at the sight. He was upset at the other man for catching him off guard, but surprised that he had actually switched into the horrible outfit that had been lurking in his drawer. He then began to blush as he realized what position they both were in - with Goku's briefs visible under the boxers directly at eye level, and himself on his knees.  
  
Vegeta stood up instantly, growling low in his throat, "Kakkarot..you are an idiot. You keep those if you like them so much!"  
  
Goku put his hands on his hips, "Aw..but Vegeta, I bought them for you!"  
  
The Saijin prince's eyes flashed dangerously as he hissed, "_You did **what**!?_"  
  
Goku's eyes widened as he realized what he said, almost instinctively taking a step back, "Hold up! That's not what I meant!"  
  
Vegeta's hands balled into fists as his tail wrapped around his waist, "Oh really!? Then what did you mean to say!?"  
  
Goku fumbled around for an answer, "All I'm saying is that they must've came in a pack with some other boxers of the same brand. Besides..these don't really fit me. I just want you to keep them, that doesn't mean you have to wear them."  
  
Vegeta looked at him in silence for several moments before saying, "Take them off and put them in the back of the drawer then." Goku proceeded to do as told, watching from the corner of his eye as Vegeta looked away while he stripped himself of the boxer shorts. He took the three pairs and stuffed them in the back of the drawer as instructed and then began to replace his clothing once he retrieved the articles from the bathroom.  
  
During this time, Vegeta had ignored him completely, choosing to approach the painting of his planet and look at it under close scrutiny. It was flawless and beautiful - almost like a picture of the real place from what he could remember. He felt both saddened and inspired to see a glimpse of his past again. A past that had been denied. He shook his head, enforcing his mental no, 'I cannot dream of things that will never be. I am the Prince of Saijins, and yet....' He closed his eyes, sighing silently, 'Preh Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht uru Preh Proch.'  
  
Interrupting his thoughts, the sound of the doorbell ringing echoed down the hall. The brunette looked over at Goku, but the black-haired man simply said, "Why don't you go answer the door?" Vegeta, growling a bit, stalked off down the hall and back to the front where he threw open the door. He froze when he saw who was there.  
  
"Hello, Vegeta," said Piccolo in his normal voice, "May I come in?" Vegeta stared, not truly at Piccolo, but what he was wearing: khaki cargo pants replaced the dark purple outfit, as well as a black shirt that simply said in bold white letters "FUCK.". Black sneakers replaced the normal, hideously tacky, pointy boots that he wore.  
  
Goku's voice piped up from the background, "Hello, Piccolo!"  
  
The Namek nodded, "Hi, Goku."  
  
Vegeta spun around, speaking through clenched teeth, "This was your idea, wasn't it?"  
  
Goku clutched his hand to his chest, speaking with mock-innocence, "Me?? Why, Vegeta! Why would you even think that I would do such a thing? Really, now..." The younger Saijin turned towards the kitchen before he lost control of his ability to hold in laughter.  
  
"Come on in," Vegeta said, extending his arm as a sign of invitation.  
  
"Thanks," Piccolo said, stepping inside and looking around, "Nice place you've got here."  
  
Vegeta nodded and folded his arms, speaking to himself, "This is all Kakkarot's fault, I know it." As Piccolo took a seat, Vegeta decided to bring up a topic, "So, why are you wearing those clothes?"  
  
Piccolo pulled on the shirt slightly, "It was actually Go... It was Kakkarot's idea. He told me exactly what to wear."  
  
Vegeta scoffed a bit, taking a seat on his couch for the first time, "Oh. I believe that all right. Do you know what that..that..that...."  
  
Piccolo decided to help him out, "Kakkarot?"  
  
Vegeta decided to just go with it, "...that Kakkarot is up to?"  
  
His Namekian friend merely shook his head, "No clue. Sorry." Vegeta looked grim, his tail twitching rather quickly from a variety of emotions. Piccolo glanced at the appendage and instantly had to force down a blush.  
  
'I still can't believe he thought I was Goku,' the green-skinned man thought to himself, 'but after all they've been through I guess it makes sense. I don't suppose Goku has touched his tail before...no, I'd know it in their attitudes. If Goku had..stroked Vegeta's tail and..caused him pleasure like I had, there would probably have been a fluctuation in their relationship - and a noticeable one at that. So far everything seems normal, so I guess it was just Vegeta having wishful thinking...'  
  
Goku came out of the kitchen with a few bowls of food in his hands. He set down four bowls total, each containing a different type of snack food. Vegeta and Piccolo merely watched Goku set the food down before heading back into the kitchen and bringing some drinks out. A knock on the door broke the silence and Vegeta sighed as he got up to answer it. As he swung it open there stood Krillin and Gohan. "Happy birthday, Vegeta!" the bald-headed human said.  
  
"Yeah! Happy birthday, Vegeta!" Gohan repeated, both of them smiling. Vegeta forced himself to smile back as he resisted the urge to slam the door in their face. It wasn't really a smile either, just an upward quirk of the lips. And it wasn't that he hated them, it was just that...kindness towards him was so _weird_. It made him nervous, even edgy. Both of them pulled out presents from behind their backs and held them out for him to take.  
  
"Humans are so strange," Vegeta snarled lowly as he snatched the boxes away from them. He turned around, and when he didn't hear footsteps, he looked over his shoulder and said, "What are you waiting for? Come on in, damnit!" The prince was unsure what to do with the gifts so he tossed them onto the coffee table, "Hope nothing breakable was in there."  
  
Krillin scratched the back of his head, "Don't worry, there wasn't.."  
  
Vegeta sat down next to Piccolo again, "Hn."  
  
Goku came out of the kitchen again, this time with plates of appetizers, "Hey! Krillin! Gohan! You made it!"  
  
The monk nodded, "I'd never decline a request from you, Goku." Vegeta looked at Krillin first before shooting a glare at the black-haired man.  
  
Goku saw the look and laughed nervously for a moment as he found places to set the food, "Geez, Krillin...I only made a suggestion, I never begged you or anything."  
  
Krillin smiled and nodded, "And let's hope you never have to."  
  
Gohan decided to speak up, "Piccolo, why are you wearing those clothes?" Silently the Namek gestured with his thumb in Goku's direction. "Ah...dad made you wear it, huh?" the half-Saijin said with a grin. Piccolo nodded in response. Gohan giggled a bit before mentioning, "Why did he make you wear a shirt that says 'FUCK.' on it?"  
  
Krillin gave Gohan a disapproving glance and Goku said, "You shouldn't cuss, Gohan." In his mind he added, 'At least, not at your age.'  
  
Gohan pointed to the shirt being discussed, "I wasn't! I was stating a fact!"  
  
Goku sighed and gave a smile, "Alright. I'll let it slide...._this time_." He winked at his son before munching on some of the food he had brought out. As silence began to come about again, the doorbell rang once more. Goku stood, but Vegeta abruptly pushed him back in his seat.  
  
"Don't trouble yourself," Vegeta sneered, "_I'll_ get it myself.." Goku, feeling non-threatening vibes from Vegeta, merely grinned. Swinging the door open for the third time, the prince was shocked when Yamcha screamed "SURPRISE!" and threw confetti into the air.  
  
"Happy birthday, Vegeta!" the desert bandit announced happily, patting the prince on the back while handing him what was obviously a bottle gift-wrapped. Trunks, who had been standing next to the human, started to laugh when seeing the look on his father's face, and not only that, but the confetti that settled on his hair made for a nice effect as well. Yamcha invited himself in, waving and saying, "Hi guys!!"  
  
Krillin muttered more to himself, "I wonder if he came drunk..."  
  
Piccolo shook his head, "I don't know..possibly..probably."  
  
Meanwhile, Vegeta had turned his attention back to the purple-haired, young man. "I suppose you have something for me as well?" Vegeta growled, not looking at all pleased. Trunks shyly handed him two very neatly wrapped packages, his gaze focusing on the floor in front of his feet. "Come on in," the prince gruffly said, shutting the door the instant Trunks was inside. Approaching the small group, Vegeta placed the newest gifts with the others, setting down the bottle-shaped one carefully.  
  
"So what kind of games are we going to play?" Goku suddenly asked, sitting up in his chair.  
  
"How about spin the bottle?" Yamcha suggested innocently.  
  
"Yamcha! We're all guys here!" Krillin instantly burst out.  
  
Vegeta hit the human over the head, "_Toushtatae_! Suggest something like that again and you'll really regret it!"  
  
Goku laughed at them before munching on some pretzels, "No, seriously...if we're gonna have a party, we need to play a game."  
  
Trunks spoke up as he finished examining the room, "And music too."  
  
Goku nodded as he got up, heading back through the hallway, "I'll be right back."  
  
Yamcha rubbed the back of his head, wincing slightly, "Okay, okay...so spin the bottle was a stupid idea. How about um....limbo?"  
  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow, "Limbo?"  
  
Krillin sighed and shook his head, smiling lightly, "Well, it'd be interesting."  
  
The prince blinked, wondering exactly what type of game "limbo" was. He knew of "spin the bottle" because of a few sitcoms he had caught on daytime television thanks to Bulma's mother. The room suddenly filled with a person's voice, emitting from speakers hidden in the corners, like the setup in the bedroom:  
  
"Watch this...what it is here, with the way people dance now, ya know, you can just..is called doing whatever you wanna do. Just get up..the beat get to you, just get up and just throw your arms in the air, throw your arms in the air, throw your arms in the air, throw your arms in the air..."  
  
The voice faded out as a steady beat flooded into its place. It was a nice electronic beat with a peppy feeling to it. Goku emerged again, looking rather proud of himself, "Hey, how's the..ah.._grooves_ I picked up?"  
  
Trunks laughed at the black-haired man's choice of words, "They're fine, Goku."  
  
"So, did you decide upon a game?" the younger Saijin asked, looking hopeful.  
  
"Limbo," Vegeta stated, "They said they wanted to play limbo."  
  
Goku cheered, "Alright! This'll be fun! I'll go get a suitable stick." Vegeta silently hoped that it was used to beat something, like with piñatas.  
  
"So, Vegeta.." Yamcha tried an attempt at communication, "..um..um.......How 'big' are you? If you know what I mean. Ha ha ha." The prince narrowed his eyes and promptly jammed his mouth full with chips, his cheeks bulging like a hamster's as he slowly chewed. Piccolo turned his head and coughed to cover his chuckle; he turned back, looking solemn once more.  
  
Krillin stared with eyes wide, whispering to himself, "He's drunk. He has to be." Gohan tilted his head to the side, not understanding, but knowing better than to ask.  
  
"I'm back!" Goku announced as he entered the room, carrying the handle of a broom, minus the brush end, "Who wants to hold the limbo bar?" Vegeta was going to nominate himself, but found that speaking with a mouth full can be quite difficult, and he instead decided to finish his food first.  
  
"I'll do it," Piccolo offered, standing up from his position on the couch.  
  
"Me too!" Gohan piped up, wanting to help his mentor. As the young teen approached Goku with Piccolo, his father passed the stick to them. They stood off to the side in an open space, Gohan raising the bar as high as he could to make up for his lack in height.  
  
Goku stood and the start of the line, "C'mon, Vegeta! Krillin! Yamcha! Trunks! With just us competing, how hard can this be?" Hesitantly, the older Saijin stood behind him, followed by Krillin, Trunks, and Yamcha. When everyone looked prepared, Goku stepped under the bar and made his way around to the back of the line. Vegeta followed his example, with Krillin trailing behind - who made it through without bending in the slightest - then Trunks, and finally Yamcha. After the line completed, the bar lowered slightly, and the process repeated itself. When it started getting around shoulder high (for Gohan) was when things started getting difficult. Goku, Trunks, and Yamcha obviously had it pretty bad, considering they were the tallest of the five. Krillin had the height advantage, but Vegeta had the balance that outmatched the rest.  
  
Yamcha was the first to fall at the increment after shoulder high. Goku was the next to lose, but his reason was a bit different - as he bent back, he also tipped his head, giving himself a nice view of Vegeta's crotch. He lost his concentration and hit his head on the bar as he passed, leaving Krillin, Trunks, and Vegeta to duke it out.  
  
Waist high for Gohan was an interesting round to watch, and everyone in the room was cheering them on. Vegeta carefully made it under, followed by a nervous Krillin. Trunks tried his best to take it nice and slow, but halfway under he found that he couldn't hold himself up anymore and promptly fell to the floor. The bar lowered and Vegeta cautiously bent himself backwards, moving slowly, but smoothly, clearing the bar by just a bit. Krillin was able to bend himself, but on the matter of moving forward he found that the only way to do it was to hop, therefore, he kicked up his heels and scooted forward little by little - but in the end he bumped the stick and was disqualified.  
  
"Alright, Vegeta! If you make this, you win the game!" Trunks said, grinning at his father.  
  
"Oh joy," the prince said, not sounding at all thrilled. He repeated the process again, bending back slowly to the correct level as the bar was lowered again. He took deep, even breaths and let his tail find the most comfortable position as he tried to spread out his weight evenly. He slid under the pole, much like Krillin had done, but with tiny hops that didn't cause him to move as much. Finally, he emerged on the other side, standing up as the room erupted in applause. Vegeta growled low in his throat, quite displeased with the attention he was receiving, "Alright, already! It wasn't that damn spectacular!"  
  
"Oh, wait!" Goku suddenly shouted, "I forgot!" The black-haired Saijin raced into the kitchen only to return with party hats.  
  
"Oh no!" Vegeta instantly backed away, "You are NOT putting one of those things on me!" Goku shrugged, passing out hats to those who would accept them, which turned out to be everyone but Vegeta and Piccolo. It was amusing to see the warriors wearing them however.  
  
"So what now?" Krillin asked, adjusting his hat into a comfortable position.  
  
"MUSICAL CHAIRS!" Yamcha shouted as if he just came up with a revolutionary idea which would change the laws of physics. Vegeta felt himself starting to hate the human on the mere fact that he was just plain annoying.  
  
"Hey Yamcha," Krillin decided to ask, "What did you drink before you got here?"  
  
The desert bandit looked up in thought, "Hmm..not much. I had some wine coolers, a beer or two, a few rounds of scotch on the rocks..." The prince closed his eyes briefly, wishing for the drinks Yamcha was speaking of to be in his hands.  
  
"Define 'a few' for me," Krillin requested as he took a seat.  
  
"I dunno. I lost count after seven...teen," Yamcha explained happily.  
  
"I see..." was all the bald man replied.  
  
"At least I think it was seventeen.." he mumbled to himself.  
  
"Musical chairs, huh?" Goku said, rubbing his chin as if he was thinking very hard about the suggestion, "Hmmm....."  
  
"What's a seven look like again?" Yamcha asked, but wasn't heard. He tried again anyways, "Or what's a seventeen look like?"  
  
Vegeta grit his teeth, silently hoping that the other Saijin wouldn't agree to the silly game. He wasn't sure what the game involved, but with the words "musical" and "chairs" together it didn't sound too promising. "I'm up for a good round!" Goku announced, sitting up, "We'll play with only one chair!"  
  
Yamcha completely forgot about his math problem and cheered while puffing out his chest in pride, "See?? I don't have all stupid ideas!"  
  
Piccolo retorted quietly under his breath, "Yeah, just mostly stupid.." Gohan heard this and tried not to laugh. Goku picked up the only chair in the room and set it in the widest open area.  
  
"Do you know how to play, Vegeta?" Goku asked nonchalantly as he situated the piece of furniture.  
  
"What the hell do you think?" the prince replied, folding his arms.  
  
"Oh, well.." Goku cleared his throat lightly, "..It's really simple. Everyone goes around the chairs, or chair in the case, and when the music stops the person who is able to sit in the chair first wins. Get it?" Vegeta nodded, sighing silently and wishing that they could do something with piñatas and use Yamcha as the piñata.  
  
"Now that only leaves the matter of the music," Goku announced, "So who'd like to volunteer BESIDES you, Vegeta." The brunette glared at him and turned away, his tail bristling.  
  
"I'll do it," Piccolo offered again.  
  
"Great!" Goku said before explaining, "You'll simply need to hit the pause button whenever you feel it to be necessary. I think everything's set up in here, lemme check..." The younger Saijin moved towards the cabinet on the left side of the room, opening up one of the panels to reveal more electronic equipment. "Yeah, everything looks good!" Goku confirmed, showing Piccolo where the pause button was. As Piccolo put his finger over the button, everyone else got into position, except for Vegeta. "C'mon, Vegeta.. Aren't you going to play?" Goku asked, noting the prince's position.  
  
"No, I don't really intend to," the prince replied honestly, shooting the taller man a look over his shoulder.  
  
"But the winner will get a priiIIiize," Goku said mischievously.  
  
"Hip hip hooray," Vegeta said as blandly as possible, "I'm leaping with joy." A new song started and the players took this as their cue to start moving. Vegeta watched as they walked around and around, glancing at each other suspiciously and grinning like idiots. 'How this is fun is beyond me,' the prince thought, '..Humans are so strange.' Vaguely the brunette shifted his attention to the song which featured a piano and a horn of some sort:  
  
"Was the lovin' baby, that ain't all.. I'd kiss her but the gal's too tall.. Young band rhythm got a hold of me too, I got a rockin' pneumonia and a boogie woogie flu.."  
  
Vegeta corrected himself, 'Humans are so _very_ strange.' Abruptly, the music stopped, and all Hell broke loose. The Z Warriors all leapt for the chair, so instead, they all leapt on each other, causing a fight to break out over it. Vegeta chuckled lightly at the amazing display of stupidity they were presenting, and decided to go ahead and play the game. Stepping over the others - who were still trying to fend off everyone else and make it onto the chair themselves - Vegeta easily plopped himself into the Lay-Z-Boy and said, "I win." The pile of bodies disentangled as they grumbled complaints.  
  
"Okay, okay.. There's no point in being a sore loser," Goku said to the others before turning to Vegeta, "I'll go get your prize." The smaller man wanted to slap himself - for he had forgotten about that part of the deal.  
  
"You won again!" Trunks mentioned with a laugh, "You're a natural party-goer, eh, Vegeta?"  
  
The prince looked up at him and spoke in a monotone, "Yeah, right." He suddenly felt something being pressed against his head and he leapt up and away from it, "What the..?" When he was on his feet, he saw Goku on the other side of the chair, holding a silver crown. The interesting thing about it was that someone, obviously Goku, had taped a piece of paper on one side that had the words "Game Master" written on it. "I will not wear that!" Vegeta proclaimed firmly, stepping away from the younger Saijin, thinking it would be best to try to ignore the other man.  
  
"Ah, but..royalty wear crowns, do they not?" Goku asked politely, "So it only makes sense...Game Master."  
  
Vegeta's tail made small uncertain moves, "Do not call me that."  
  
Goku shrugged before smiling, "Okay, so long as you put on the crown."  
  
Vegeta shook his head in disbelief, "There's no way you'll get me to wear that..thing...!"  
  
Goku shrugged again, this time larger, "Okay, that's fine. You don't have to wear it...Game Master."  
  
Vegeta growled loudly before ripping the crown from Goku's hands and swiftly placing it on his head, "There!! Are you happy now!?"  
  
Goku smiled, trying not to laugh, "Quite." He clapped his hands to draw everyone's attention if they hadn't already been watching, "OK! Next game, people.. Make it good!"  
  
"Pictionary?" Krillin suggested as he adjusted his hat again.  
  
"I don't think we have the paper for that.." Goku replied, looking up in thought. A few more suggestions were made, but no one seemed to be able to come up with anything spectacular.  
  
An idea suddenly dawned upon Trunks and he looked up, "Twister." All eyes turned to him and he repeated his idea again, "Twister."  
  
Goku stood up, cheering loudly, "TWISTER! Alright! That's brilliant, Trunks!"  
  
The demi-Saijin laughed, partially out of astonishment, "You have Twister? Here??"  
  
Goku nodded as he ran off down the hall, "I'll be right back!" Vegeta, however, was trying to remember what Twister was. The name did sound vaguely familiar but he couldn't place it. Goku returned moments later with a small box in his hands. He set it down on the arm of the couch to open it all the while mentioning, "Someone will need to spin the, um..spinner thing."  
  
Piccolo wanted to see if three times was truly a charm, "I'll do it."  
  
Goku waved his finger disapprovingly, "Nuh uh. You haven't played one game yet."  
  
Krillin piped up, "Yeah, but Piccolo could cheat easily. He can stretch, remember?"  
  
Piccolo growled slightly, "Are you saying I'd cheat just because I have the ability to??"  
  
Krillin shrugged, grinning slightly, "I'm not accusing you of anything, I'm just saying..."  
  
Piccolo folded his arms, "Yeah, I know what you're saying. Fine, I'll spin the spinner thing."  
  
Goku handed him the object of discussion, and then he removed the game board and unfolded it. "Twister is really easy," the black-haired Saijin stated, flattening out the plastic board as much as possible, "You'll catch on, Vegeta. Everybody ready? Good; let's go." Noticing that Goku was looking at him, Piccolo spun the pointer and waited for it to stop. He paused for a moment before he held it up for Goku to see. "Right hand red," Goku explained, kneeling down and placing his right hand on a red dot. Trunks, Krillin, and Yamcha did likewise, leaving Vegeta the only one standing. "Vegeta?" Goku queried, raising an eyebrow. With a half-sigh, half-growl the prince knelt and put his right hand on a red dot as well.  
  
Piccolo spun again, "Left foot blue."  
  
This continued on smoothly for a few minutes, until bodies began to become tangled. Piccolo found that it was amusing to watch all of them bending in odd ways just to win, and he thought that this was the best game they had played yet. In fact, he almost wished he had played himself. "Right foot yellow," the Namek declared, smirking when a chorus of complaints and curses replied to his announcement.  
  
"Ack! Piccolo!" Krillin waved his one arm in the air momentarily before he said, "I can't make it! There's no way I can stretch that far!"  
  
Piccolo smirked and leaned back into the cushions of the couch, "Well, I guess you're just going to lose then." He spun the pointer, "Left hand green."  
  
Krillin was exasperated, "No way! I give up!" The human promptly got himself out of the mess and sat down in the chair.  
  
Trunks laughed at the older man, "Aw, Krillin..! You're no fun!"  
  
Krillin shook his head and folded his arms, "I'm plenty of fun...when I win."  
  
Trunks laughed again until Piccolo said, "Right foot green." The demi-Saijin blinked as he looked over his options. "Right foot green," the Namek repeated, sounding rather smug.  
  
"Shit!" the young man spat, trying his best to maneuver around everyone else _and_ put his foot in the correct place.  
  
"Ha ha!" Krillin cackled, watching in delight as Trunks strained himself, "Now you know how it feels!"  
  
The purple-haired youth smirked, shakily giving a response, "O-oh yeah..?" Concentrating his efforts, he was able to wrap his leg around his arm so that his toes touched a green spot, "HA!"  
  
Krillin pouted, kicking the floor in defeat, "Damn.."  
  
Piccolo shook his head and spun again, "Left hand red."  
  
Amazingly enough, the four participating Z warriors stayed off the ground for at least another good five minutes.  
  
"Left foot blue," Piccolo said, watching the players move slowly and carefully.  
  
"I can get it!" Goku announced happily, "I just need to roll myself over."  
  
Piccolo ahemed and pointed out an important fact, "That's all and good Kakkarot, but your left hand needs to stay on red, and your right on yellow."  
  
Goku suddenly realized all of the flaws in his plan, "Shit! Um..Okay..I can do that..." Moving as slow as molasses in winter, Goku managed to get his hands into the positions he needed them in for when he would finally flip over. "Yes! I got it!" the black-haired Saijin cheered himself on as he rolled himself over cautiously, placing his left foot on a blue dot. His eyes instantly widened and his face become bright red when he found himself looking straight at Vegeta's crotch. 'Oh my god,' Goku thought, closing his eyes to try to calm himself. He breathed deeply to relax, but found that this instead caused him to breathe in the prince's scent. Goku resisted the urge to purr, or do anything moronic at that point.  
  
"Right hand green," he faintly heard Piccolo say. 'Right hand green,' Goku thought, trying to add structure to his scattered brains, 'Right hand green, I can do that.' But his self-assurance turned out to be incorrect, and when he reached for a green dot he felt his balance give out underneath him. Without really thinking, he felt himself first flail for balance, and then his instinct told him to find something to hold on to.  
  
Unfortunately, there was only one thing close enough for him to grab, and before he realized what he was doing, it was already happening. As he lost control, his hands jolted up, clasping onto Vegeta's ass, which in turn pulled the brunette down on top of him, making Goku's face press against Vegeta's groin. There was a moment when he didn't think at all, and when he finally thought, the first thing that came to him was, 'Oh shit.'  
  
Then he heard Vegeta yelling at him, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"  
  
Goku hesitantly released his grip, slipping out from under the prince, "I was going to fall so I just..I dunno! I grabbed onto you to stop my fall!!"  
  
Vegeta, once let go, rolled over and sat down, "Try to use a little logic for fuck's sake! I'm spread out in an odd position, and even with my tail it's hard to balance! How in the hell did you expect me to support your weight when I could barely hold my own!?" Goku opened his mouth to reply when he saw the look on Vegeta's face. Something right then snapped, and instead of explaining himself, the younger Saijin began to laugh.  
  
"I'm sorry, Vegeta," Goku managed to say in-between his laughter, "I wasn't thinking, really.." He laughed a bit harder, still attempting to speak, "But don't get so angry! You own the game, so you can always kick my ass later."  
  
Vegeta nodded in approval at the notion, "Game, no. Kick you, yes."  
  
"Are we going to finish this game or what?" Trunks asked, still holding his position.  
  
Vegeta looked over at him and Yamcha and a smirk broke out across his face, "Yes. And I shall finish it." With ease, the prince lifted his foot and firmly placed it on Trunks' shoulder, pushing him effortlessly and forcing him into Yamcha so that both fell to the floor.  
  
Trunks untangled himself, shooting Vegeta a vicious grin, "So you wanna play like that, huh?"  
  
Vegeta gave a nod, his tail swaying back and forth, as if it was taunting, "Yeah, I wanna play like that." Without warning, Trunks suddenly leapt onto his father, tackling him to the ground with a mighty roar. Instantly, they were rolling around, wrestling each other in a friendly manner.  
  
"Woo! Go, Vegeta!" Goku cheered, giving words of encouragement along the way. The party members chose sides, rooting on their fighter.  
  
"C'mon, boy!" Vegeta said as they tumbled back and forth around the room, "Give it up!"  
  
Trunks shook his head from time to time in an attempt to keep his bangs out of his line of vision, "Never!"  
  
Vegeta laughed at his stubbornness, "Boy, I have an ace up my sleeve, I'll have you know!"  
  
Trunks' eyebrows knit together in confusion, 'Is he telling the truth or is he just trying to break my concentration. If it's the latter, he's doing a good job!' His silent question was answered when he felt something soft touch his neck. "What the??" Trunks asked out loud, turning in an attempt to see what was happening.  
  
"You lose, boy!" Vegeta declared triumphantly as he caught the demi-Saijin off guard. Holding Trunks' arms in place, he wrapped his tail around the demi-Saijin's neck. When the appendage was firmly in position, Vegeta released all other grips on him and promptly pulled Trunks down, slamming him against the ground.  
  
Trunks gasped as his head hit the floor, not out of pain, but shock, "Holy shit!" He had noted his father's sensitivity to his tail, and had heard that it was the only weakness to the Saijins. Trunks knew now that it wasn't because the tail itself was weak, but that the tail was highly receptive to touch, which in turn made the pain more acute when damaged there.  
  
Vegeta chuckled at him before picking him up and slamming him down again, "Mercy, boy?" Trunks' hands went to his throat, carefully trying to peel off the furry appendage. "No!" Vegeta shouted, shaking Trunks wildly as he made contact with his tail.  
  
Being jostled around like a rag doll wasn't too fun, so Trunks decided to give in, "Alright, alright! Mercy!"  
  
Vegeta uncoiled his tail and let the younger man fall to the floor, "Hn. You're pretty good."  
  
Trunks gulped in air, rubbing his neck, "Yeah, thanks..." They looked at each other, both giving a smirk as a silent, mutual agreement of respect.  
  
"Well, I think it's time for.." Goku trailed off dramatically, a grin slowly spreading across his face, "...CAKE!" There were murmurs of agreement, and the black-haired Saijin stepped away and into the kitchen. Vegeta stood up, removing his crown as Goku left the room.  
  
"I wonder what kind of cake it is," Krillin said aloud, then asked, "What type of cake do you like, Vegeta?" The prince shook his head, taking a seat on the couch. As it was, he had no preference when it came to certain types of foods, like sweets. He didn't eat much of them simply out of habit.  
  
After a minute or so, Goku's muffled voice sang, "Happy birthday to you..Happy birthday to you..Happy birthday..."  
  
Vegeta wanted to clamp his hands over his ears, either that or leave the room, 'Is that idiot trying to embarrass me, or kill me with his tone deaf singing!?'  
  
Goku nearly burst from the swinging doors, carrying a humongous cake, "...DEAR VE-GE-TAA!! ....Haaappy birthhhday toooo yooooou!!" All the brunette felt like doing at the moment was punching him in the face, and it was quite tempting when the others began to applaud him.  
  
Goku set the cake down on top of the coffee table, to let everyone look at the delicious creation. It was a multilayered cake, but there was a number of interesting things about it: the first being that it was a cheese cake, the second that the layers were pentagonal instead of circular, the third was that normal candles did not adorn the top - but rather - one large oddly shaped one, and lastly was the writing, which proclaimed "Konav Rochatiev-atatu Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht!". The prince had to admit it looked pretty impressive. "Well?" Goku asked while beaming with pride. He folded his arms and examined Vegeta's expression.  
  
"Holy shit," the prince replied with half of a laugh. "You..You made this, Kakkarot?" he asked, his tone insistent.  
  
"Well..I had help," the black-haired man admitted, looking a little sheepish, "King Kai read the instructions to me and he helped me spell too."  
  
"What's that mean?" Piccolo inquired, gesturing to the candle and strange writing.  
  
Vegeta cleared his throat lightly, translating, "Happy birthday, Vegeta. The candle tells..my age."  
  
Piccolo raised an eye ridge, smirking slyly, "Oh? So what number is that?"  
  
Vegeta turned his head to the side and shrugged, "The number? Why.. Hotakkei-eti-Oketerehcho, of course."  
  
"Oh, _of course_," the Namek retorted with sarcasm and a smirk.  
  
Krillin clasped his hands together, smiled warmly, and spoke up, "Well then, happy..hotaco-ehtye-okerecoth..birthday, Vegeta."  
  
The brunette looked over at the bald-headed human as he attempted to speak Saijin. "Uh, Krillin..? There's no tacos involved," Goku corrected him, trying hard not to laugh, "It's ho..Hotakkei, not hotaco."  
  
Vegeta nodded, feeling elated that the black-haired man was able to speak their native tongue so well, "And it's eti-Oketerehcho, not ehtye-okereco. You butcher the Saijin language into...names of Asian gas stations."  
  
Krillin had to laugh at the analogy, "Holy shit! If I didn't know better I'd say you just made a joke!" Vegeta tipped his head down so he looked the monk directly in the eyes without the slightest trace of a humor on his face. "Right," Krillin said, "I'll just shut up."  
  
Vegeta chuckled, "Actually..I was just messing with you. I don't expect you to get my language correct after hearing it only once. You did rather well, in all respect."  
  
"Really?" Krillin looked up at him with hope in his eyes.  
  
"It's just that.." Vegeta tried not to laugh, "What you _did_ say in Saijin was nothing even close to a number."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Hotakoh. Et-tye. Okeraco. Elderly fish sideways, I do believe," the prince tried so hard not to laugh.  
  
"What!?" the small man was befuddled, "How can that make that much of a difference??"  
  
"It's the difference between better and butter for example. One letter is all it takes."  
  
Goku decided to interrupt them, "Hey, Vegeta? Can you blow out the candle? It's sorta getting the cake full of wax.."  
  
Vegeta sighed silently, sitting up and leaning over, "Oh, alright.."  
  
Goku suddenly waved his hands frantically as the prince gathered in a deep breath, "Wait! Wait!"  
  
Vegeta growled lowly, starting to get irritated, "Now what?"  
  
Goku smiled rather nervously as he noted Vegeta's lack of patience, "You need to make a wish. Oh! And don't say what it is, otherwise it won't come true."  
  
Vegeta couldn't believe his ears, 'Earthlings have such strange traditions.' He decided that it would be pointless to argue so he paused for a moment to think up a stupid wish. If he was going to do it..might as well do it properly. Finally, he leaned forward and blew out the candle with ease. As the others clapped politely.,Vegeta shook his head and sat back, hoping that all the embarrassing ceremonies were through.  
  
"Krillin, would you assist me?" Goku requested, resting his hand on his friend's shoulder.  
  
"Huh? Yeah, sure, Goku," the monk replied, a bit confused as he entered the kitchen with the other Z warrior.  
  
"So, do you like cheese cake?" Piccolo decided to ask the Saijin prince as curiosity got the best of him.  
  
"Uh..." Vegeta really wasn't sure what to say in response, "..It's...edible." The Namek chuckled, reaching out and plucking the candle from the cake. A bit of cake came off and stuck to the bottom of the candle, which Piccolo licked off.  
  
"Mm," the green-skinned man gave a nod, "Well, I think you'll like this."  
  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow, giving Piccolo a sideways glance, "I'm not sure about that. Kakkarot, I would think, eats food better than he'd make it."  
  
Piccolo set the candle down beside the cake, "Okay, don't take my word for it. I think you'll just be pleasantly surprised." Krillin then came back into the room, carrying a box that had paper cups and various bottles of beverages in it. He set the box down on the ground next to the coffee table; and as he began taking items out, Goku joined him with setting up, bringing paper plates and plastic silverware. As Krillin began to pour drinks, Goku carefully took off the top layer of the cake and placed it on a plate.  
  
"Here you are, Vegeta," the black-haired Saijin said, handing it to him. Vegeta took the plate, admiring the craftsmanship that was put into the simple phrase on top.  
  
Suddenly, Goku shouted out, "Eat up!!" The next thing Vegeta knew was that he had a face full of cheese cake and there was laughter all around him.  
  
The prince sputtered with anger and wiped ivory cream away from his eyes, "Kakkarot!! What in the hell do you think you're doing!?" Growling, the brunette reached forward and grabbed a fist full of cheese cake. He threw it at Goku, beaning him right in the side of the face.  
  
"Ah! No, Vegeta!" Goku laughed, wiping some of the stuff off, "Such a waste of good food!" The younger Saijin proceeded to eat the said food off of his hands, "Mmm!" Vegeta got a hold of Goku's shirt, his fingers grabbing the material tightly. "Uh..?" Goku made a questionative noise, a swarm of butterflies consuming his stomach as he observed the position they were in. Abruptly, Vegeta pulled him close, rubbing his face against Goku's spotless black shirt. The prince let go of the black-haired man, his face now clean, and Goku's shirt a mess. He smirked before kicking him to the side, Goku tumbling and crashing like a ton of bricks from the unexpected attack.  
  
"Jerk," Vegeta chuckled, almost grinning, "Just for that stunt.. no cake for you."  
  
Goku pushed himself up, "Oh c'mon! I made that cake!" Vegeta ignored him and reached forward, cutting himself another plate sized piece.  
  
As he sat back and took his first bite, the prince said, "Don't let Kakkarot have any. If he tries to get some I give you the permission to stop him at all costs." Goku sat on the floor and pouted as everyone else got dessert. After a moment though, the black-haired Saijin got off the floor and disappeared around the corner. A light conversation started up as people ate, and the overall mood in the room was rather light. Vegeta was feeling a bit relaxed, and though he wouldn't admit to even himself, he was enjoying the company of others. Suddenly, Vegeta's plate was taken away from him by two hands from above. The prince looked up to meet the smiling face of his fellow Saijin.  
  
"Time to open presents," Goku explained, putting a gift into Vegeta's hands and taking a large bite out of the piece of cake.  
  
The prince took the item in his hand and looked it over for a moment. Carefully he found the edges, unwrapping it with great care. "Just rip it off," Trunks suggested, finding it amusing that for such an unorganized person, his father would chose to be cautious with wrapping paper.  
  
Vegeta sighed before ripping it off in one good swipe, "Happy now? Oh goody, I got a box." The brunette couldn't resist the smirk that curved his lips.  
  
"Open the box, Vegeta," Goku said, talking with his mouth full.  
  
The prince stole the plate back, "I said no cake for you." He passed the food to Piccolo who secretly gave it back to Goku as Vegeta become preoccupied with his present. Lifting the lid of the box, the prince was greeted with a piece of black fabric. He lifted the object up to examine it and instantly he shook his head.  
  
"What is it?" Krillin asked, unable to see what it was. Vegeta turned it around to show that - over the chest, in huge white letters - it proclaimed "FUCK?". Trunks burst out laughing, wondering if this shirt was worse than the pink one that had been given to him. "Brutal!" Krillin declared, taking a drink of his grape soda.  
  
"Very nice," Yamcha said, holding up his glass as if he was toasting to the shirt.  
  
"Well, I thought it was only fitting..." Goku trailed off with a grin crossing his face. "Because now we match!" the younger Saijin announced happily, removing his top shirt to reveal another one underneath. He had obviously slipped it on when he disappeared out of the room. Laughter and applause erupted as Goku showed off his shirt, which said, in the same bold white letters, "FUCK!".  
  
"Oh god," Vegeta grumbled, snatching the nearest present and wishing to get it all over with as soon as possible.  
  
"That's from Krillin," Goku mentioned, sitting on the back of the couch and looking over Vegeta's shoulder.  
  
"Marvelous," the prince said, ripping the paper as he had been instructed to do so earlier. Inside was a small leather briefcase, and with his previous experience of items being hidden in other items, he unlatched the case and opened it. Instantly, he smirked as his eyes looked across the rows of cigarette packs, neatly lined and organized. Clearing his throat, Vegeta latched the case and put it to the side, "Hn. I approve..Krillin."  
  
The bald-headed human perked up, "Huh? What? Oh. You're welcome!"  
  
Vegeta picked up the next one, "From Gohan, huh?" The demi-Saijin nodded shyly as the prince tore away the paper. Free of the material, a book was presented to him.  
  
"I know it's..nerdy of me," Gohan admitted with a slight blush, "But I thought maybe you'd find it interesting..? It's too difficult for me though..." Vegeta flipped through some of the pages, pausing every so often to look at the complex mathematical equations. Not exactly knowing the earth-standard, and having also noted that it (the standard) did vary in different regions, the brunette did come to the conclusion that one way or the other, it was an advanced book.  
  
"The thought is appreciated," Vegeta spoke honestly, "and I will look at it closer later." Gohan flushed with satisfaction.  
  
"This one's from me," Piccolo said as he pulled out a box from under the couch. It was obvious this was preplanned. Vegeta took the large object, his eyebrows knitting in curiosity and confusion. He repeated the process of opening it, getting more confused when something inside reflected in the light. Quickly, the prince disposed of the rest of the paper, his expression turning to one of shock when the entire object was uncovered.  
  
The reflectiveness was due to the fact that the gift was made of metal. It was a statue, only two feet high at most, of an elderly looking Namek and a very regal looking Saijin. The brunette felt something strange compress in his chest as he let his hands run across the fine piece of art. "It's a representation of the friendship bond between the Namekian race and the Saijin race," Piccolo explained, "Dende and I made it. We thought it seemed right to use Guru, our ancestor, and King Vegeta, since they were both the leaders of our races."  
  
Vegeta nodded, running his finger tips over the representation of his king, "Father had a beard though. Well, a mustache too, so I guess that makes it a goatee." He looked over the statue a final time, noting once more how Guru and King Vegeta clasped each other's wrists. The implications behind the scene was what mattered the most. Piccolo was basically emphasizing the friendship he felt with Vegeta, something that meant more to Vegeta than the statue itself.  
  
Carefully, the brunette moved the object to the side, and he whispered low enough for only the Namek to hear, "Thank you, Piccolo."  
  
Yamcha picked up his present and passed it to Vegeta, giving the prince a nod. Vegeta, curious as to what drink he exactly received, opened it to be pleasantly surprised with a high class brand of wine. Vegeta almost purred with delight. It was an expensive bottle, and he couldn't wait to open it up and try it - but he decided that right then was not the best time and he set it down for later, "Nice choice."  
  
Trunks looked up at Goku and the black-haired Saijin gave him a nod. Hesitantly, the demi-Saijin nudged his gift towards his father, clearing his throat slightly. "Another one?" Vegeta asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. As he picked up the box, however, he instantly felt something was odd. Something inside of the box wasn't dangerous, but it was nagging at him. His eyes narrowed and he glanced between the gift and Trunks. The young man smiled nervously, and even went as far as to blush a bit from embarrassment.  
  
Slowly, the prince peeled off the wrapping paper, keeping his eyes locked with the sky blue ones that gazed at him with uncertainty. Finally, he looked down at the small box which concealed whatever item Trunks was giving him. Vegeta lifted the lid and peered inside, gripping the cardboard a bit tighter as he did. His lips parted slightly and his eyebrows furrowed as he reached inside and pulled out a small object which resembled half of a bangle bracelet. The entire semi-circle did not look like a piece of jewelry though, but rather a high tech piece of machinery confined to a barely large enough space. "What..?" Vegeta asked lowly, holding the object up to look at it more closely.  
  
"Here.." Trunks offered, moving around the table to kneel before the brunette. "Sit up," the demi-Saijin instructed, taking the semi-circle and fiddling with it for a moment. Vegeta complied, watching Trunks every step of the way. The purple-haired man placed his gift near Vegeta's left hip, and after a moment, the circle was completed by a golden glowing band. Vegeta looked at it for a minute before running his hand through it, feeling a fuzzy sensation run over his skin where the glow touched him.  
  
"It's ki," the prince stated out loud in astonishment.  
  
"Yeah," Trunks agreed, starting to explain the technicalities, "I made...well, it's...it's a ki..blade hilt...you know..for your..sword."  
  
Vegeta felt a smirk break out across his face which quickly turned into a grin, "This is a fine set up you have made here, boy. Very impressive combination of technology and inborn traits." Closing his eyes briefly, Vegeta opened them as he curled his hand into a loose fist, the royal sword appearing in the air. The brunette stood and tested his new present, finding it suitable to his needs. "_Venashido_," Vegeta proclaimed before dismissing his weapon and the hilt, "You have fine skills, Trunks." The younger man beamed with pride and happiness. It was also partially saddening that he would never be able to please his "real" father the way he had just pleased this one.  
  
"Hey, what time is it?" Krillin abruptly asked, glancing around the room for a clock.  
  
Yamcha took a glance at his watch, "About five-thirty."  
  
The bald-headed Z Fighter shot up instantly, "Are you serious!? Oh, man! I have a date with Eighteen at six!"  
  
Gohan spoke up as he finished off the cake on his plate, "And mom wanted me home for dinner."  
  
Yamcha placed his hand on Gohan's shoulder, "Don't worry kid, I'll take you home. That way Krillin won't have to deal with more woman problems."  
  
Krillin tried to look smug even though he blushed, "Well, I seem to be having better luck than you. You know..for a player you don't do that well, Yamcha."  
  
The desert bandit shook his head and wagged a finger, "Ah, ah, ah... Just you wait, man..just you wait."  
  
Vegeta cleared his throat as he stood again, "Well, I for one am relieved that you all are leaving. I want you out of my house before you disrupt its wonderful balance of organization. I haven't had a clean room in quite a while and I want to enjoy it before I fuck it up. So if you don't mind, Trunks and Piccolo, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."  
  
Trunks laughed at the statement, carefully backing away, "Hey. I think I know when I'm not wanted." The purple-haired boy waved towards Goku, motioning for him to join him outside. They stepped out into the forest a short distance from the house as Yamcha, Gohan, and Krillin went on their separate ways.  
  
"Hey Trunks, what's up?" Goku asked as they stopped along the tree line.  
  
As Trunks looked over Goku's shirt again he had to resist the urge to laugh, but he calmed himself for the conversation. He attempted to speak nonchalantly as he asked, "So, when are you going to make your move?"  
  
The black-haired Saijin felt all the color leave him only to flood back and attack his cheeks, "Trunks, what makes you think-"  
  
The purple-haired time traveler held up his hand, silencing the older man, "Besides the fact that you nearly drool over him? And the expression you made when you were buried in his crotch, you mean?" Goku suddenly felt like it was too hot for what he was wearing but he refrained from trying to cool himself off as his cheeks burned brighter. "Piccolo and I had a talk," Trunks explained, "He basically confirmed what I already suspected."  
  
Goku managed to swallow as his gaze focused on the ground momentarily, "Yeah, well..."  
  
Trunks placed a hand on Goku's upper arm, squeezing lightly, "Hey, it's ok. Don't be embarrassed. I wanted to tell you to go for it, in fact."  
  
The taller man shot him a surprised look, "Trunks!"  
  
The demi-Saijin winked, chuckling at the scene Goku was making, "Hey..I'm being pretty serious here. You and Vegeta have something really..special going on, and I think it's just about time Vegeta knew something about it. Other than that, I just wanted to tell you best of luck and I hope you have a wonderful night."  
  
He turned to leave and Goku shouted out, "Just what did you and Piccolo discuss exactly!?" As Trunks lifted himself into the air, Goku only heard laughter as he faded off into the distance.  
  
After Vegeta's son was gone, Piccolo emerged from the front door with brunette behind him. "Have a good night, Prince Vegeta," the Namek said, extending his forearm.  
  
"Hn. Perhaps," the elder smirked, clasping Piccolo's arm as the green-skinned man did likewise to him. Piccolo waved to Goku who waved back almost absent-mindedly until his friend took to the air.  
  
"Wait!" Goku called out, "What did you tell Trunks?!" The Namek looked back in shock before releasing a rich laugh and waving again, fading into the distance like Trunks had.  
  
It was then Goku realized that he was alone with Vegeta. He felt the gaze of his prince and met it, offering a smile. Vegeta returned the smile but it soon fell. "What's the matter?" Goku asked as he approached the brunette.  
  
"Honestly.." the prince said, thinking over his words, "I am uncertain of what to make of all of this."  
  
Goku raised an eyebrow, "All of what?"  
  
Vegeta lifted his hands, gesturing to the house, "This. All of _this_. I just...don't understand how..they could change their mind so easily. They hate me one moment and treat me like a friend the next."  
  
Goku found himself feeling a bit defensive, "They never hated you, Vegeta."  
  
The brunette looked up into the taller man's eyes before looking away, "Yeah, right..."  
  
Goku slammed his palm against the door, trapping Vegeta between his body and the wall, "Yeah. Right." Vegeta's looked up in shock. "Now.." Goku spoke softly, taking his hand off of the door casually, "..let's go play some pool."  
  
They went down the hall and into the guest room, which was a more interesting type of guest room than most houses contained. The walls were littered with street signs and neon lights advertising different alcoholic beverages. A small bar rested in the one corner, complete with a limited set of drinks ready for use. In the center of the room was a pool table, looking sleek and elegant under the dark green shaded lamp that hung directly above it. To the other side of the room was a large hammock, which was obviously for the guest to sleep on. Protruding from the wall next to it was a shelf, complete with an alarm clock and book light. Directly against the far wall was a remodeled computer desk that had a stereo system and a mirror.  
  
Underneath the desk was a trunk that was large enough to hold a person's belongings, but small enough to open fully while staying in its current position. Matching couches faced the pool table - these older in appearance with a plaid design of browns and greens. Between the one couch and the bar stood a rack for the pool sticks, all of them different in design, but each expressing good quality. "Okay, to play pool you-" Goku began before Vegeta picked up a pool stick, interrupting him.  
  
"I know how to play," the prince announced, sounding rather proud of himself.  
  
"Oh, I see," Goku grinned, picking out a stick for himself, "Then why don't you show me how it's done?"  
  
Vegeta proceeded to do just as Goku had tauntingly told him to, proving that when it came to certain subjects, Vegeta was simply better. He aimed and shot, breaking apart the triangle of balls, and even managing to sink two. Round after round, the prince showed that he was talented in this particular area, and Goku could of sworn he had to have been playing for at least a year with practice, but he knew this wasn't the case. There was also a very good chance that Goku's score would have been significantly higher if he hadn't let his concentration be broken by the alluring images of his prince when he leaned over to take a shot.  
  
Every time Vegeta bent himself over, his tail would sway and curl without a sense of direction, making Goku's mind go hazy as he imagined many naughty scenarios involving the pool table. It didn't matter to Goku that the jeans that Vegeta were wearing were his, and certainly too baggy for the brunette. All Goku really knew was that Vegeta looked nearly irresistible in the soft glow of the room and the complimentary colors he wore.  
  
That paired with the fact that occasionally the angle that Vegeta happened to lean over at allowed him to see down his shirt. Goku instantly blushed at the notion of looking down a man's shirt. It seemed almost absurd to him, even though he definitely liked what he saw. The constant distractions took their toll on the black-haired Saijin, and he found himself slightly amiss as Vegeta called left corner pocket, and sunk the eight ball. "Kakkarot, you are barely a challenge," the prince stated as he cleaned up his pool stick and returned it to the rack, "but you have excellent taste for one who lives out in the middle of nowhere."  
  
Goku put up his stick as well, fiddling with it a bit, "Yeah. Yeah, I suppose..." He stared off into space, making Vegeta a bit curious as to what he was thinking about. "Hey Vegeta?" Goku suddenly asked, finally freeing his hands of the pool stick.  
  
The prince raised an eyebrow before giving a response, "Yes, Kakkarot?"  
  
The black-haired man smiled lightly, "Do you.... Would you..like to go on a walk with me? I really want to talk to you about some things." Vegeta's eyebrows came together as he merely looked at the other Saijin for nearly an entire minute straight.  
  
Finally, the brunette replied, "Okay."  
  
**SAIJIN SAYINGS: A List of Made-Up Words and Phrases This Chapter and Their Translations**  
_toushtatae_- (n) a more offensive degree of the word 'bastard' [non-Saijin]  
_"Preh Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht uru Preh Proch."_- "I am Vegeta the Prince of Saijins, but I am me."  
_"Konav Rochatiev-atatu Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht!"_- "Happy Birthday, Vegeta (the Prince of Saijins)!"  
_Hotakkei-eti-Oketerehcho_- the Saijin number that corresponds with Vegeta's current age  
_hotakoh_- (adj) 'elderly'  
_et-tye_- (n) 'fish' [the dash indicates that it is a two syllable word]  
_okeraco_- (adj/adv) 'sideways'  
_venashido_- (adj) 'magnificent' 


	14. d: Sacrifice

A/N: This chapter has some explicit sexuality. Hence the "R" status. Just a heads up. I told you it was yaoi.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 10d**  
aka **Sacrifice**  
  
Goku smiled warmly before turning and leading the way. He stopped on his way out and spent a brief amount of time in the kitchen. He resumed his course with an addition of a small rectangular piece of tupperware, which obviously contained food. They walked outside and Vegeta followed him around the back of the house and into the woods where a trail was located. Due to the nature of autumn, the sun's rays weren't as bright as they usually were, as the days were becoming shorter and the nights longer. The trees had yet to change color, but the smell of the passing of season was there.  
  
They walked in silence contrary to Goku's description of the walk, but it wasn't uncomfortable in the least; in fact, Vegeta felt more relaxed than he had been the entire day. 'Kakkarot...your kindness is astounding,' the prince thought wryly, 'A typical Saijin would have..killed me by now. I'm such a..loser.' He looked up at the sky and the shining dot of Venus, and tried to get a hold of his previous bearings. He'd been sincerely enjoying the day and he didn't want that to end. 'Not yet,' the prince pleaded to himself, 'Don't fuck it up yet.'  
  
Goku glanced over at the other man, wondering what he was thinking about. 'He's so..complicated,' Goku thought to himself, 'You never know exactly how he's going to react to anything. I wonder if Trunks is right. Should I tell him?' Sparing a glance at his companion, he shook his head once, 'Oh god, no... I can't. I just can't. There's no way I'll be able to! I don't want to scare him away. He's happy. That's all that matters.' They continued down the path, both lost in their own thoughts as evening slowly crept upon them.  
  
Eventually, they walked into a clearing which stood on top of hill, overlooking a nearby valley. Vegeta had to wonder how Goku had been able to prepare all of this within, what he assumed, one day. Of course, with the ability to instantly transport oneself anywhere, he also assumed that there was a good chance that he'd easily be able to get the job done. They padded across the grass until they hit the edge of the hill and Goku instantly flopped down. Vegeta knelt to his left and then carefully took a seat, neither bothering to break the silence.  
  
The prince tipped his head back and placed his hands slightly behind him, so he could support his weight. He stared up at the sky again, concentrating, but not really paying attention at the same time. The brunette let his eyes close, 'What is this feeling I get when I'm around Kakkarot? It almost..hurts. But I'm a warrior and know pain! So why is this unfamiliar to me?' Vegeta let himself focus, but he found that he was unable to come up with any answers, 'Before you, Kakkarot, so many things were unfamiliar. They..still are, but at least I'm no longer ignorant to their existence. Kindness, compassion, mercy, forgiveness - these were all categorized as the same thing where I came from: weakness. A part of me dreads these things because I always expect a repercussion. No one gave favors without wanting something in return. Freiza saved me, and I had to do his bidding. To be alive, I had to live in slavery. It was impossible to show or do anything "nice", lest you share the same fate as the victim you tried to protect. I couldn't have done the things you would've done. I still cannot. I could never be like you, Kakkarot.'  
  
He exhaled a single huff of laughter as his train of thought continued, 'I would never want to be like you. I would kill people just like you. I _have_ killed people like you, and yet..you're different somehow. Always the exception.'  
  
His eyes opened again and he let himself take in the natural beauty of the planet. If the sky had been red, then Earth would've reminded him of his home world. As it was, however, it was a tranquil blue, and neglected to nag at his mind, which was perhaps for the best. All in all, the Saijin prince would have to admit that despite the cons, Earth was a rather nice place to live. Oddly enough, it had its fair share of troubles for a planet located all the way out in the boondocks of the universe. On the other hand, it provided well and had the best protector around, so the pros and cons just about weighed even.  
  
It was pleasant to sit next to Kakkarot and forget the worries of his everyday life. The tip of his tail twitched through the grass, and he felt so entirely calm that he believed that nothing could upset him at that moment. For once, he didn't have to linger on his mistakes, his failures, and his past. He merely sat in the moment, enveloped in serenity. It was strange, and almost disturbing, but he didn't dwell upon it. He'd rather not disrupt his good mood.  
  
Goku glanced at him and had to smile, for Vegeta looked so content at the moment it made him feel elated. For the past few minutes, he'd basically spaced out, staring at nothing, merely enjoying himself. Abruptly, he snapped out of it, and he turned to look at his prince to ensure that he was okay. Seeing Vegeta like this made him simply feel _good_.  
  
'I know that cake couldn't have done much for his appetite,' the black-haired Saijin's thoughts took a turn, 'I know it didn't do much for mine. I'm glad I brought some sandwiches along. Now's a good time to eat, so I'll just ask Vegeta if he wants any.' Goku opened the tupperware container and sorted through the variety of sandwiches he had brought along. "Vegeta?" he asked, gaining the brunette's attention. He turned to ask Vegeta what type of sandwich he'd prefer to eat when he simply froze in place, staring at the prince.  
  
There was something in the way Vegeta looked, so calm and peaceful. His eyes were different too...warm, but just as endless as before. But warm. _Towards him._ A flutter of emotion welled inside Goku's stomach, spreading through his entire body within seconds. His chest ached delightfully and he let his eyes roam across the prince's beautiful face. And then, without really thinking, he leaned over and quickly pressed his lips to those that he'd desired for so long, a bout of pure adrenaline pouring over him, making him tingle. As soon as he'd touched those lips though, he pulled back, stunned by his own actions. A wave of panic instantly overcame the younger man, terrifying him to the core.  
  
In truth however, Vegeta had not been able to forecast the spontaneous action of his fellow Saijin. When Goku had said his name, he merely turned to him, giving him his attention. There was a moments pause, and then abruptly, Goku had closed the distance between them and swiftly put his lips on his in a soft kiss. Being as that Vegeta had never received that type of affection from anyone, he wasn't sure how to respond in the slightest - and had stayed absolutely still and tense.  
  
Goku swallowed and took a breath before he let himself speak, which happened to be very fast paced and laced with sorrow. "Oh my god, Vegeta," he began, his fear increasing every second that the prince didn't respond, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Oh my god...I didn't think. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I mean, I did, but I didn't, but....oh god. I'm sorry. It's just...just..."  
  
Goku let his eyes look into Vegeta's, no matter how difficult it was for him, "God, Vegeta! You don't understand how much you mean to me! Ever since I first started hanging out with you I felt..connected to you somehow. No, that's not it... It was... Even when we first met, there was something there. And I really don't want to sound stupid, but..I don't know..it felt..it felt like a..connection. I-I know that sounds really lame, but..you..you said I was the first person to really challenge you, and I think you did the same to me. You made me question things I had never thought about before. You made me question..everything. Myself, my friends, my family..and, it never stopped. I never stopped questioning, but I think that's a good thing.  
  
"You helped me become a better warrior. You were right about a lot of things that, well, I was wrong about. But that's what's so incredible about you..is that, no one had really proven me wrong before. I dunno.. I guess I liked being put into place. I liked knowing that I was just..a person, and not this super hero that everyone on Earth tries to make me out to be. ..With you, I don't have to be Goku. I can just be me. I can just be Kakkarot.  
  
"And... And... Damnit, Vegeta! The way you act sometimes! The way you could think that you..you're better off dead.. It hurt me. And it hurts me that I can't show you how much you mean to me! Please, Vegeta. Please..! Please, don't be angry with me. I'm just.. so stupid! _Please.._ I'll never touch you again. I promise. I'll never try to kiss you again _ever_..just..please, don't leave me. Please, don't hate me. Vegeta, please...I promise. I promise I'll never kiss you again..unless... unless you..want me to."  
  
The prince stared at the last survivor of his race, trying to absorb all that the third class has said to him. The final part hit him hard, and Vegeta found himself breathless, repeating it in his head, '_I'll never kiss you again..unless you want me to._' His eyes focused on the ones looking into his, and he searched for answers once more. He felt something again, that odd emotion he had no name for. The one that seemed attached to Kakkarot.  
  
Goku's dark eyes expressed worry, and a fear of rejection, but the taller Saijin managed to ask his next question. He had to know. It was too late to go back, and he had to be certain. He'd regret it if he didn't ask. He spoke in a mere whisper, "Do you..want me to kiss you..Vegeta?"  
  
The prince heard warning sirens and bells go off inside of his head. This was getting too deep, too complicated, and too dangerous. He should back away now and forget this whole thing ever happened.  
  
But his mouth opened, and his shaky voice whispered back, "...Y-Yes.."  
  
For a moment, both of them sat in shock, neither believing their ears as Vegeta spoke that one simple, small word. Goku recovered first, a warm smile coming to his face as he felt every part of him tremble with delight. Vegeta cursed himself, wondering what he was doing. However, the feeling that came around Kakkarot..it somehow made it seem right to say yes. He didn't understand it, and he didn't really wish to, so he let it be and decided to play out the hand fate dealt him.  
  
Goku scooted himself closer as inconspicuously as possible, and even though the prince did notice it, he didn't care all that much. He'd already sealed his destiny, and he waited for it, a great feeling of fear rising in him. The last time he was touched anything near to this had proven to Vegeta that close contact with others was a very unwise thing. Yet, the brutal honest emotions that rippled off of Goku were so void of any treacherous vibes, that the brunette couldn't help but hold his place, telling himself that Kakkarot was different, and he would not try to injure him intentionally. Supposedly, this..act..was something people mutually enjoyed, and some shameful part of him wanted to discover the truth behind the talk.  
  
Goku brought up his hand, lightly caressing Vegeta's cheek with the back of his fingers before he felt along the jaw line, letting his thumb reach out and brush across those lovely lips. Vegeta blinked at the gesture, listening to his own shaky breaths with each inhale and exhale of air. Goku carefully examined Vegeta's eyes, looking for any traces that might indicate that the prince wanted to stop, but he found none. His hand traveled back over the cheek and continued on, lightly tracing the rim of Vegeta's ear before finally deciding to curl into the hair on the back of the prince's neck. Goku closed his eyes briefly, gaining his bearings on the situation, before he finally leaned in and pressed their lips together again.  
  
Goku decided instantly that _this_ was true Heaven. He moved his lips slowly, planting soft kisses over and over again on the prince's pliant lips. He pressed a bit harder and held the kiss longer, feeling the butterflies in his stomach crescendo into an all out swarm. This, he thought, is a _kiss_. It had never been this way with Chi-chi. No, it couldn't be compared. This was Vegeta. Vegeta with his elegant, masculine features; musky, yet spicy, scent; and obsidian eyes that rested over flushed cheeks.  
  
He dared himself to deepen it, taking the prince by surprise by parting Vegeta's lips with his tongue. A short, shocked moan emitted from the prince's throat as Goku's tongue entered his mouth, slowly swirling and exploring. Vegeta felt his fingers dig into the grass, his tail tense and thump the ground, and his cheeks burn at the sudden increase of intimacy. He was dazed and confused, lost on a sea of turbulent emotions and sensual touches. How could someone be so gentle? He couldn't comprehend the sheer care being shown, couldn't understand how anything so..sexual..could feel the way it did...  
  
After a moment, Goku felt worry kicking at him again as he realized that though Vegeta was letting him kiss him, he was failing to join in. He massaged the back of the brunette's neck with his fingertips, twining both hands in the hair as he hoped, worried, and waited. Finally, he felt Vegeta begin to kiss him back, slowly, shyly, as if to say, "Am I doing this right?"  
  
The response alone sent a shiver down Goku's spine as he tried to kiss his prince deeper, to express his gratitude and please him as much as possible. The brown-haired Saijin timidly let his tongue dance with Goku's, finding the experience literally spine-tingling. Goku couldn't hold back the soft moan which escaped his throat, his fingers gripping the vertical spikes. His other hand ventured down the neck to smooth across the shoulder, lightly rubbing Vegeta's bicep. He felt silk taunt said hand, and he forced himself to resist temptation. All he wished to do was hold the prince's tail, and to tease it like it was doing to him. Instead, he moved the hand to support the prince's back as he pulled him closer.  
  
Vegeta answered with a half-bitten groan, his tail lightly coiling around the younger Saijin's wrist. His body felt so hot, warm, safe - protected by Goku's embrace. The man tasted sweet, not just from the cake, but naturally it seemed. Sweet, and Saijin. It matched Kakkarot so well.  
  
Hesitantly, the smaller man shifted into a more comfortable position, pulling them up onto their knees. Goku's hands deserted their current locations in option to wrap around the prince's waist. He pulled Vegeta close, sighing contently as the tail slowly and lightly ran up and down his arm. Then, Vegeta's arms made the cautious venture around the younger's neck. Hesitantly, he let his fingers fist into the black, silky locks. Making a risky move, Goku clutched Vegeta's thighs with his hands and pulled him up into his lap. The prince released a shocked moan, blushing hotly as he clung onto Goku's shoulders for support.  
  
That move was nearly too much, the younger man realized. He had sensed a spike of panic from Vegeta and decided to calm himself down and move leisurely. After establishing an easier, gentler kiss, he let his hands roam a bit. Fingertips teased sensitive ears and the soft skin behind. He moved with exceptional care and infinite patience with the sole intention to give Vegeta pleasure.  
  
Yet, Goku had to convince himself to stop. The main factor of reasoning being that, if he didn't, he might end up doing something _really_ stupid. He knew the heat in his face would eventually pool into his groin, and that was one situation he did not want to face. Hesitantly, he pulled back - lightly sucking on Vegeta's tongue before retreating fully. He let their lips press together gently; tried to catch his breath. The black-haired Saijin gave the brunette a few more soft kisses before he carefully disentangled them and set Vegeta down. Both of their eyes opened at the withdrawal, but neither said a word. Goku swallowed, and sat back, as they simply stared at each one another. He turned away for a moment, making the prince curious as to what he was doing.  
  
"Turkey or ham?" Goku finally asked, his smile warm, his eyes bright. Vegeta glanced down and looked at the two sandwiches the black-haired Saijin presented. He looked back up at the younger man, unable to resist a smile that came to his face.  
  
"Turkey.." Vegeta finally answered as he took the sandwich from Goku. He started to devour it as Goku bit into his share. They ate quickly and quietly, but didn't break their gaze. After they were finished with the snack, Goku picked up the tupperware and stood, Vegeta following suit. They walked in silence back towards the house, like they had when walking from it.  
  
They eventually reached the front door when twilight hit the sky, letting more stars come out. Goku cleared his throat and handed the container to the prince who merely tossed it inside so he could focus his attention on other things. "It's getting late.." Goku said with a heavy sadness laced in his voice, "...I..better go." Vegeta looked down, not really giving a response as the taller male turned to leave.  
  
"Kakkarot," he called out just before Goku teleported away. The other Saijin turned to him immediately, looking rather hopeful for a kiss goodnight. But he received no such thing. Instead, Vegeta asked him a question he wasn't quite expecting, "...Why don't you stay..?" He found himself nodding rapidly and dumbly, and he instantly blushed at his excited reaction. Vegeta smirked a little before he held open the door, "Then why don't you come inside?" Goku couldn't help but grin, and he casually walked inside the house, telling his prince a "thank you" for holding the door.  
  
After the matter with the door was taken care of, Goku found that Vegeta simply _felt_ more quiet. One thing that Goku had noticed was Vegeta's ability to rapidly turn his emotions onto a more negative scale, whether it was concerning matters of anger or depression. He placed his hands on the prince's shoulder, holding him in place so he could gain the brunette's full attention, "Vegeta, what's wrong?"  
  
Vegeta met his gaze momentarily before he looked away, "Kakkarot.." Goku turned him and guided him comfortingly. As they sat down on the couch, Goku kept his touch as light and non-threatening as possible.  
  
"Talk to me," Goku requested, hoping the shock of it all wasn't catching up to the prince.  
  
"Kakkarot.." Vegeta started again, finally capturing words to say, "..though you explained yourself, I still do not understand."  
  
Goku smiled, almost expecting a reaction such as this, "Vegeta, you don't really need to understand. I just need you to _know_."  
  
Vegeta growled and pushed himself away from the black-haired Saijin, "_Bastard!_ I am..not that easy!"  
  
Goku stared a bit in shock, "Whoa! No one said anything about _anything_! Vegeta, I need you to calm down and talk with me. I need you to not push me away when there's a problem. If it upsets you, then we need to talk about it. So tell me what's wrong, Vegeta..."  
  
Vegeta flushed crimson, stuttering a bit, "K-Kakkarot..I..I..."  
  
His mind was running a mile a minute, but he just couldn't seem to say any of it. 'I let you kiss me! I willing asked you to kiss me! Why should I not be upset!? Getting involved with someone just means pain in the end, so why even sacrifice what you little you have for some stupid gratification that doesn't even last!? These fucking retarded emotions you draw out of me..I don't need them!'  
  
The prince's eyebrows knit together and the smaller man exploded in anger, "I don't know _why_ I let you kiss me, alright?! I'm an idiot, ok!? I-I..I don't even _like_ you! For fuck's sake, you're the reason why I'm a mess!"  
  
Goku's hands reacted first, and he grabbed the prince's wrists and pinned him to the couch with ease, "NO! Look at me, Vegeta! I've made mistakes in my life, and kicking the shit out of you when you first came to Earth is probably somewhere on top of the list! And it's ok for you to be angry at me - it really is - but don't..don't go back on your word... I want you to look me in the eye and tell me you _didn't_ want me to kiss you! Go ahead and say it! Say it, if that's how you really felt! Please, tell me now!"  
  
Vegeta looked up at him with wide, shocked eyes. The prince opened his mouth and he attempted to spill out the words, but, when he saw the pain and pleading in the younger man's eyes, he found that he couldn't utter a syllable.  
  
As if to emphasize his point, Goku dipped his head down and captured Vegeta's lips in haste-filled passion. The prince made a small noise of mixed surprise and pleasure as teeth nibbled on his lower lip. When Goku pulled up however, Vegeta found himself growing quite irate.  
  
"Asshole!" the prince screamed, powering up with ease and flipping their position around so he pinned the black-haired Saijin to the couch, "How dare you! You care about me so much that you force yourself upon me?! You...You're no better than those pedophiles! I'm an idiot for saying yes! I'm and idiot for believing you! I'm an idiot for-"  
  
Goku interrupted him, finishing the sentence, "-for liking it." Vegeta felt himself blush again, and - before he realized exactly what he was doing - his hands moved, gripping tightly to the strong neck of his friend. Goku made a half-choking, half-gurgling sound, his hands gripping Vegeta's wrists as the other man throttled him. '_Vegeta!_' the prince heard the other man plead to him mentally, but he barred down his mind, blocking everything out but his haze of embarrassment and rage.  
  
If he killed him now, there would be no one to stop him from leaving this pathetic mud ball and ruling the universe like he'd once desired. His mind swirled with images of galaxies, and space dust, and black holes, and nothing. And then he saw a small child's voice in his head, telling him, '_My planet, too, is gone. My species is nearly extinct as well. My family is also dead._'  
  
Vegeta gasped at the recollection, a surge of shame bottling up inside of him, and he released his hands to cover his face. Kakkarot was the last of his people, and this is how he treated him in return? This wasn't fair. He was damned either way. He was damned and he couldn't do a thing about it - like always. Either he let _it_ take control, or he lived without experiencing anything..normal. No, it was too heavy of a burden! It was too easy to make a mistake.. but how could he live this way for the rest of his life? And Saijins lived so long...  
  
Hands encircled his wrists, gently pulling to uncover his face. He looked down at the beautiful person beneath him. How could Kakkarot be anything less? His soul so bright and pure...  
  
"Kakkarot.." Vegeta struggled with his emotions. After a moment, he tried to explain himself, "I'm..." The words didn't want to come. Why was he acting this way? Why should he care what the other man thought? There weren't any answers to his questions; this only made it harder on him. "I'm..confused," the brunette finally opted to say. It wasn't what he'd intended to disclose, but it would have to make due.  
  
"It's ok..." Goku replied in a whisper, still catching his breath. He pulled Vegeta down into a hug, kissing the prince's temple and whispering, "It's ok. I'd never make you do anything you don't want to do. It's ok...." He smoothed his hand over dark brown spikes as he stared at the ceiling.  
  
Vegeta wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt depressed. The anger had melted away, leaving behind the pain that'd caused it to flare. Without the anger, he didn't know how to cope. Eventually, he muttered, "I think I need a smoke."  
  
Goku kissed the temple lightly again before moving to the ear, still whispering, "Me too." Vegeta sat up and raised an eyebrow. "What?" the younger man asked innocently, "I'm not allowed to smoke? Is there some sort of rule like if you save a planet you aren't allowed to smoke a cigarette?" Vegeta couldn't resist the smirk that tugged at his lips.  
  
The prince carefully climbed off of the younger man to find the small briefcase he'd acquired for this birthday. Opening it, Vegeta choose a brand at random and opened the pack, passing a cigarette to Goku while taking one for himself. After putting the "square" to his lips, Vegeta went in search of a lighter, patting down his clothes which he'd forgotten were not his own.  
  
"Here.." Goku offered. Vegeta turned to find that the taller man already had his lit. He didn't really care how he'd done it. Leaning forward with a devilish grin plastered on his face, Goku touched the tip of his cigarette to Vegeta's. The prince stared as he found himself frozen in place. He couldn't even breathe as he watched the other man. When his body began to protest about the lack of air, Vegeta forced his lungs to work again. He inhaled deeply and ashed about a third of his cigarette all at once.  
  
Goku breathed in lightly, fending off the urge to cough, successfully doing so with pride. He knew smoking really wasn't his thing, but he didn't want to break his macho image at the moment. He then flexed his jaw a bit forward and a bit back, causing his cigarette to flick slightly, its tip caressing the tip of Vegeta's in such a manner that even the prince thought of it as a provocative gesture. Frankly, Vegeta was stunned, and he only watched the other Saijin until a large segment of the ashed "square" fell to the floor. How in the Hell could someone make inhaling chemicals seem so..sexy?  
  
"Have I ever told you.." Goku spoke around the cig, "..how much of a bad ass you look like when you smoke?" Vegeta blushed again, inhaling another third of his tobacco product. He exhaled through his nose, resembling a dragon who seemed flustered.  
  
"Kakkarot.." the prince scrambled up a response, "..I don't know if I can stand your sickening heart felt declarations without vomiting."  
  
Goku chuckled, taking a puff before responding, "I can't help it that you're so fuckin' sexy."  
  
Vegeta felt like he was going to die from embarrassment, and he sat back a good few feet, shouting, "Kakkarot!" He wasn't sure what surprised him more - the fact that Goku had cursed, or the fact that he'd done it while complimenting him. Maybe it was the compliment in general. Goku's eyes narrowed into two small slits as his chest and throat radiated a purr. Vegeta suddenly found himself burning the filter of his cigarette. Goku reached forward very slowly, and took the remains. He put it out on the coffee table.  
  
Goku shifted his cigarette to the side of his mouth, "And now, my prince, we shall see..." The black-haired Saijin pounced, tackling his prey to the floor, "...just how ticklish you are!"  
  
Hands darted for the prince's sides but they were blocked by Vegeta's arms. "Like Hell you will!" the brunette declared loudly, "You pull another stupid stunt and I'll be forced to take some serious action!"  
  
Goku laughed, pausing to take a small puff of his cigarette, "Oh? Like what?"  
  
Vegeta growled, keeping a wary eye on the larger Saijin's hands, "Fingers, remember? I'll break your fingers."  
  
Goku gave him a lop-sided grin, "I don't think you will. Not when I tell you what I can do with these fingers..." Vegeta wasn't sure if he should pale or blush at the comment, so he ended up doing neither which was probably for the best. "They're going to give you the best damn ticklin' you've ever received!" Goku announced, attempting again to reach Vegeta's stomach. He froze when he was unexpectedly attacked. He gasped and fell forward. Smartly, he grabbed the cigarette and crushed it again the glass of the table as his teeth clenched.  
  
"Was that a powerful enough lunge?" Vegeta whispered harshly into his ear, sounding almost smug.  
  
Goku couldn't help but grin as he replied with a moan, "Uhhn....press harder, please.." Vegeta pushed the other man away, scrambling to his feet and jumping back while cursing up a storm. "Oh c'mon," Goku said as he collected himself, "I was just playing with you."  
  
Vegeta pointed his finger accusingly, "That was not playing! You're not in pain!"  
  
Goku found himself backed into a corner, "O-Oh? That doesn't mean anything. How do you know if I was anticipating that or not?"  
  
Vegeta's eyes flashed dangerously, "I just _know_, Kakkarot! That doesn't mean you have to _understand_!"  
  
Goku was getting a little fed up with the wishy-washy business, "And what if I DO like the notion of your tail touching my crotch? Hmm?"  
  
Vegeta sputtered, finding no words to say as pure shock overcame him. Face red and tail bristled, the brunette finally spat, "_Orakara!_ Do you know what you're saying!?"  
  
Goku felt his eyebrows raise at Vegeta's emotional outburst, "Hey, there's no need to get so bent out of shape."  
  
The prince's breathing calmed, as well as his expression. "The implications in such a statement are not to be taken lightly, especially if spoken by a Saijin," Vegeta informed, his face unnaturally stoic.  
  
"What? I don't get it. I know your tail is something you don't want other people to touch," the younger man spoke rather casually, "but what's so horrible about you touching people with it and them liking it?"  
  
They stared at one another, a heavy silence hanging in the air. "..I'm going to switch my clothes," Vegeta said, suddenly feeling like he was trapped and devising a way out. As he brushed by Goku, the other Saijin turned to him, trying to gather something to say. He felt like there was more, that this wasn't just a small argument and then goodbye, see ya later. Vegeta had definitely meant something back there when he got upset over the tail incident, but he couldn't possibly understand what was the matter.  
  
Sure tails were sensitive, and any Saijin should be protective over theirs, but that didn't explain what Vegeta was implying. What did Vegeta's tail have to do with their relationship? Of course, Goku knew he often fantasized doing many things with or to that tail, and that he also dreamt of the furry appendage doing things to him, but he merely regarded this with little interest. He figured that the attraction was due to the rarity of the situation because Goku didn't have a tail himself. But a tail does not make a Saijin, as Goku had been forced to realize since long ago. He did enjoy many things that Saijins did, like food and fighting. Ok, so that was about it...  
  
Even still, the differences between himself and the prince meant nothing to the younger man. The discrepancies Goku had long learnt to deal with, and he now almost regarded them as challenges. Goku had always, even as a child, loved challenges. Now it seemed that he stopped loving the ones that Vegeta presented, and simply loved Vegeta.  
  
When the prince was about half-way down the hall, Goku found himself chasing after him. "Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht!" the black-haired man called out, making the brunette spin around.  
  
"I have no time for your games any longer! Go home, Kakkarot!" Vegeta yelled at him, waving his hand, gesturing at him as a dismissal. Goku growled low in his throat. He refused to be tossed away so easy. Vegeta either had no idea how much his words could influence him or the man was just plain cruel. Judging by past experiences, Goku believed it to be the first reason, so he tried to not let it bother him. Vegeta threw open the door to the room which Goku carefully and quietly closed behind him out of respect. The prince's movements were stiff with agitation, and he spun around to sit on the edge of his bed, "Alright! What is it? Damn you! Speak!"  
  
Goku took a few steps forward into the room, standing about a yard away from Vegeta, hissing softly, "Vegeta.._phu_ Jakaht." Vegeta stared at him, feeling his flesh crawl as the taller man spoke the dead language.  
  
He replied slowly, "How do you know this, Kakkarot? From that Kai?"  
  
Goku gave a nod in response, "I made him teach me. I can speak a little."  
  
Vegeta's eyes looked up into Goku's, showing hesitant acceptance, "You speak it well."  
  
Goku took a moment to reply, "..Thank you."  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes, his features relaxing, '_Kakkarot..._' It startled Goku as he heard Vegeta's voice quietly call out to him in his mind. As he looked in the dark onyx pools he could sense that warmth again, and it made him smile.  
  
'_Vegeta..._' Goku replied as equally quiet.  
  
'_I..don't hate you,_' the prince's inner voice came across as a mere whisper. Goku felt his smile widen and he half-bent half-knelt over to reach out and caress Vegeta's cheek with his finger tips. His hand ventured slightly lower, cupping Vegeta's chin as he moved forward. Goku paused millimeters away from Vegeta's face, and looked into his eyes. He was waiting for a sign whether it be yes or no. Vegeta met his gaze evenly, and they sat for a moment as the brunette debated within himself, and then finally - he gave a nod.  
  
Goku sighed silently before he pressed their lips together. He placed small kisses repeatedly before nipping lightly on Vegeta's lips. Vegeta's mouth opened slightly as he released a warm, shaky breath. Goku let his tongue venture out to just barely trace the places he'd just nipped. Then, the black-haired Saijin sealed their lips together, meshing his tongue against the one he found, delighting in the flavor of mixed smoke and that which was Vegeta.  
  
The prince felt overwhelmed again, despite the fact that he'd experienced this no more than just a few minutes ago. His head swam, and the burn in his cheeks was creeping downwards, slowly washing over his whole body as Kakkarot flicked his tongue in all the right places. The tantalizing sensual dance that invaded the prince's mouth caused him to curl his fingers into the linens on the bed, his tail constantly wrapping and unwrapping around his waist.  
  
Goku's hands, which had been inactive, finally began to move; his one moved to the back of Vegeta's neck, fingers kneading in small circles, as his other hand wrapped around Vegeta's waist, making sure the grip was firm, but comfortable. The younger man dipped his head, pressing harder, nudging Vegeta backwards. Placing one knee to the side of Vegeta's body, Goku slowly eased them down, basking in the warmth the brunette radiated off of him.  
  
Abruptly, Vegeta jumped away, crawling backwards until his body met iron. Goku raised an eyebrow, climbing onto the bed and crawling over the prince. "You okay?" Goku asked gently, reaching out and lightly running his fingers through Vegeta's hair. The brunette shuddered, closing his eyes momentarily as the simple gesture took him off guard.  
  
He looked up at the third class warrior, reason trying to slam him back in order, 'You idiot! What're you doing!? You _know_ what he wants and you're allowing this to continue!? You're a prince! _His_ prince! He has no right to touch you!' As he stared into the deep black eyes adorned by the younger man, he felt the emotions roll off of him without a sense of shame or hesitance, 'But god...I haven't lived up to my title in years. He's so strong, so innocent, so naive... He..He isn't them and he isn't like them...' As much as he denied it, he wanted this.  
  
Vegeta responded with the truth, "..Yes."  
  
Goku bent his head, nuzzling lightly at the side of Vegeta's face, whispering, "You're sure?"  
  
The warm air heated Vegeta's face and he felt his skin crawl before replying, "Yes."  
  
Goku's throat softly rumbled as he whispered, "Okay..." He tipped his head to the side, his lips barely touching the prince's ear before he traced the rim with the tip of his tongue, blowing just a bit harder than a breath on the wetness. Vegeta closed his eyes as the younger man's lips grabbed a hold of his ear, teeth nipping and biting gently at the lobe as a tongue darted out to tease, and light suction was applied. It was amazing what these simple touches did to the prince.  
  
After toying there for another moment, the mouth drew back, trailing hot kisses down Vegeta's neck, finally coming to rest near the shoulder. The mouth opened, sucking on the pale skin, the tongue occasionally joining the dance to taste the prince.  
  
Vegeta turned his head to the side to allow Goku more access. He couldn't help but whimper as those silken lips caressed him gently, seducing his senses. Hands slowly pulled at his shirt, exposing his stomach to the cooler air. Finger tips ran across smooth, toned muscles, making a journey and exploration upwards. The mouth tipped in the opposite direction, deciding to favor the other side of the neck as Goku felt across the well-defined torso of the brunette.  
  
The black-haired Saijin drew away hesitantly, slowly swirling his tongue across the skin before finally pulling back. Vegeta's eyes opened, his gaze focusing upward, looking confused and partially dazed. Goku smiled at the flushed man beneath him, almost playfully tugging at the shirt to silently ask his question. The prince seemed to review the situation before sitting up just so his back was no longer supported, and he raised his arms into the air. Goku lifted the polyester material up slowly, giving Vegeta ample time to voice his thoughts of disapproval.  
  
The shirt came off with little to no difficulty and Goku merely tossed the item out of sight. Vegeta lowered himself back down, letting his arms fall to his sides as he stared up, his lips parted as he breathed deeply. Goku smiled softly with his eyes dark and shining. His hands followed his gaze, tracing over every curve and indentation with infinite care. He then massaged upwards, starting with the stomach and working up to the chest where he dared to graze over the nipples before continuing on to the collar bone, and then, each arm. He rubbed his hands against Vegeta's as his lips began their learning experience of the prince's body. Hands retraced their steps all the way back to pale abs, Goku's mouth following their lead. He glanced up at Vegeta for approval as he shakily brought his hands to the waistline of the jeans. The brunette stared at the younger man and, though his mind screamed for him to do otherwise, he nodded.  
  
Goku took a moment to gain his bearings before he pulled the button undone, his hands carefully completing the task of unzipping the pants. Vegeta closed his eyes, flushing deeply as Goku was able to not only look upon his boxers, but also the bulge in which was proof of his arousal. The black-haired Saijin paused, trying his best to stop his nervous shaking, as he grasped the waist of the pants and the elastic band of the boxers all in one grip.   
  
Somehow, Vegeta managed to convince himself to lift his hips, and Goku, taking this as an invitation, slowly pulled the articles off, gazing fixatedly at the nude form of his prince. 'Beautiful..' Goku thought, starting at the feet and working his way up to Vegeta's eyes with his gaze. He tried to inconspicuously scan over the more intimate areas, but Vegeta was too acutely aware of everything at the moment that it didn't slip by him. When their eyes met, Goku offered a smile before he tugged off his shirt hastelessly; then, he began to - as casually as possible - remove his pants. With each inch of the black-haired Saijin being exposed, Vegeta felt himself grow hotter and hotter, mostly from a mixture of embarrassment and anxiety.  
  
In a moment that came too fast for the smaller man, Vegeta found himself in bed, naked, underneath Goku, who was also very naked. 'Oh god, I can't do this,' the prince thought to himself, overwhelmed by fear. All he could think of was gruesome leering faces and a deep-seeded sense of shame and humiliation. Yet, he had never wanted to be so wrong in his whole life.  
  
And then Goku purred softly, reverently, letting his fingers trace the regal face as he whispered, "Phu Jakaht..." Vegeta closed his eyes, his previous doubt melting away with the loving caresses of his former rival. It was amazing how..safe and..peaceful he felt around the last member of his race. Hands lightly swept down his face, followed the neck, ran across the chest and stomach, and trailed down legs until they met feet, where they paused to massage. Then the same method was applied to running up the pale body, until hands massaged hands. "Vegeta.." Goku sighed softly, finding himself capturing those wonderful lips as his hands rubbed their way to the brunette's hips.  
  
He drew back to lay his head on the prince's chest; to hear the harsh beating of the brunette's heart as he inhaled the salty, musky - and more importantly - natural scent of Vegeta. His thumbs swept over hip bones, kneading lightly before pausing altogether. Goku lifted his head, his eyes silently asking for permission, which Vegeta granted with a small nod. Goku forced himself to stop shaking as his hands crept lower, gliding across smooth fur, causing Vegeta's breath to hitch. The prince stared, too afraid to look away.  
  
Gingerly, Goku wrapped his hands around the heated flesh of his prince, watching Vegeta gasp sharply as he slowly and lightly stroked the erect length. Goku pumped rhythmically, enjoying the sound of the brunette's unsure mewls as he acquainted himself with Vegeta's most intimate body part, loving the feel of pleasuring his prince with his experienced hands. Vegeta closed his eyes, tipping his head back as he tried to control himself. Oh god.. No one had touched him like _this_. He himself had been too frightened to even dare. Time had convinced him that it was wrong, and that he didn't deserve it.  
  
It felt so... Incredible was the only word available. It wasn't enough though. There was no word in any language that could describe this. Many had tried, he realized, and many had failed. He released a broken moan, craving more of the sweet torment. His body was on fire, but he didn't care, so long as Kakkarot kept touching him. The feeling...the _feeling_! There was nothing to describe it all. So tender, so powerful, so..sweet was the sensation the younger Saijin gifted him with. He never wanted it to end. However, the hand withdrew, and dazedly, Vegeta opened his eyes to find out why.  
  
Goku's interest had turned once he caught sight of a certain brown appendage. He couldn't resist now - the temptation was too great, and so, carefully, he took hold of the fuzzy tail. Vegeta thrust his hips automatically, turning his head and closing his eyes all the while managing to growl out, "Kakkarot..not..not my tail..." Curiosity was too much, the younger Saijin ran his fingers through the velvety strands, wringing a sharp cry from the prince. "Kakkarot!" Vegeta growled louder, threateningly. Goku complied with his wishes, hesitantly removing his hands, letting them grasp Vegeta's waist and hold firmly.   
  
Vegeta was stunned, not only with Kakkarot and his actions, but with his own body; it ached in ways he'd never felt before. The feelings were new and unique and they dominated his senses. When the prince faced his third class again, Goku smiled warmly at him and kissed his lips softly, affectionately. The black-haired Saijin moved his head to the side, nuzzling Vegeta, and whispering his name as if it was something that should be cherished. He pulled back, his hands moving to cup Vegeta's face, tenderly caressing as he dared himself to ask the much needed question.  
  
"Vegeta.." Goku began, unsure of how to phrase his thoughts and inquiries, "You...You don't have to..do this..if you don't want to..."  
  
The prince closed his eyes briefly, sighing nearly silently as he leaned against a hand that so lovingly held him, "I..am aware of that..."  
  
Goku felt like a heavy weight was lifted off of his chest, and captivated, he kissed his prince again, murmuring, "So long as you _know_..." Vegeta couldn't help but smile slightly at the implications as Goku began to worship his body with his hands. Finger nails gently scraped across his skin, sending shivers up his spine and back down again, causing his tail to fluff. The larger man nipped moderately hard, making his way down Vegeta's chest and stomach, pausing to breath against his prince, trying his best to stay calm. He looked up at Vegeta, hiding his true emotions that were doing back flips.  
  
In all honesty, Goku was also afraid. He'd never been with a man before, and he had no earthly clue what to do. He blushed slightly as he pointed out to himself that he did have a pretty good idea, as it couldn't be _that_ much different from making love to a woman. He just feared that he'd make a mistake, or - worst of all - hurt Vegeta.  
  
Carefully, he curled each of his hands under a thigh, lifting them up just a bit so they could rest comfortably on either side of Goku. The black-haired Saijin felt himself flush again as he concentrated on situating their bodies. "Vegeta?" he asked quietly, his eyes reflecting concern and worry as he gazed down at the brunette.  
  
Vegeta's face was void of emotion, but his eyes expressed an inner panic and confusion. "It's ok, Kakkarot.." he said with a nod, though Goku wondered which of them he was trying to assure, "...It's ok.."  
  
A compulsive feeling to kiss his prince came over Goku, and he followed his instincts, making his lips tease Vegeta's. He let his hands massage the powerful thighs of his prince, passionately probing Vegeta's mouth with his tongue.  
  
Finally, he pulled back, his eyes looking into his prince's, hiding nothing from the older man. Vegeta felt himself tremble as Kakkarot bared his soul to him, showing the love, desire, concern, hope, joy, and..lust. Never before had Vegeta seen such a look directed at him - the special look that one lover gives to the other. '_Kakkarot..._' he called out to the third class mentally, sending emotions instead of words to the younger man, conveying his consent. Goku felt the smaller man tremble beneath him, but he dared not doubt Vegeta's feelings.  
  
Slowly he moved, lifting Vegeta's body and pulling him closer. He felt his stomach muscles clench hard, threatening to cramp up on him as he placed them into position. Vegeta held still, breathing erratically, taking longer than necessary blinks. He felt Goku's hands guide his legs to wrap around his waist, and he tensed, pulling the sheets up into the palms of his hands as anticipation wracked his nerves. One hand went to his hip, holding him, while the other went to his face, caressing him before running through his hair.  
  
Unconsciously, Vegeta began to relax as Goku's fingers ran through his dark brown spikes. He tried very hard to not let his hands shake, to show how terrified he was. The black-haired man kissed his prince sweetly, whispering, "Vegeta.." Then, he pressed into his prince as delicately as possible.  
  
The brunette closed his eyes in pain, gasping at the sudden agony brought on by the unexpected entrance. He bit his lip and turned his head to the side, mind racing with mortification, revulsion, and disbelief. He tried to will away tears that were building in his eyes, but the pain was astounding. He concentrated on breathing, trying desperately to redirect his attention elsewhere to distract himself from the pain. _It_ was right; this hurt! He was completely and utterly vulnerable, and if Kakkarot wished..he could break him with ease. _And he had willingly put himself into this predicament..._  
  
But when that thought entered his head, it instantly released him of his monstrous apprehension. He was willing. He had wanted this. It could of been a lot worse. For starters, he could've been unwilling.  
  
He felt himself relax, though his fingers were still threaded in the covers, knuckles white. The pain was still there, but at least he didn't feel afraid anymore.  
  
"Are you okay?" Goku whispered anxiously, laying soft kisses across the prince's smooth skin. Vegeta took deep, even breaths, trying again to will away the pain. Eventually, he found that he could breathe a great deal better, but the unpleasant burning kept the center of attention. The younger man kissed him softly, asking again, "Are you okay?" He dared not to move in the slightest until the action was approved.  
  
Vegeta looked into his eyes, leaning back against the pillow as he inhaled and exhaled shakily, "Y..Yeah..." Why was he lying? It hurt horribly and he wanted to stop..  
  
"You're sure?" Goku rested his forehead against Vegeta's.  
  
"Yes.." Vegeta responded, barely audible.  
  
"Do you..want to stop?" Goku asked seriously.  
  
Vegeta took a moment as he truly considered it. A moment ago he'd been thinking that very thing. This should end and so should the pain. However, some part of him was hesitant to back down. Why? Because everything hurts at first, right? Maybe..maybe if he let Kakkarot continue, he'd somehow..make it good... It was a stupid and irrational idea, but he couldn't purge it from his mind. He was being selfish and greedy, he realized, but he wanted to follow through.  
  
"..No...." the Prince of Saijins replied, "Don't..stop..."  
  
The younger did the only thing he could think of doing: he kissed his prince again. A simple, loving kiss. Then, with permission, Goku tentatively slid himself in to the hilt, gauging Vegeta's reactions the best he could given the situation.  
  
Vegeta's eyes squeezed shut and his mouth opened to release a shocked noise. His back was arcing off of the bed as he was trying to deal with the bold, new sensation of being filled. It overwhelmed him completely. The pain was still there, but somehow the..further Kakkarot went the better it felt. It didn't make any sense to him, but he was beginning to not care in the slightest. After a few experimental thrusts with angling, Kakkarot brushed a spot that made his tail curl into a tight spiral. Once, twice..twice was all it took for the pain to evaporate. Only two simple movements and his hands flung for something to hold onto. They found the iron backboard.  
  
Where he had expected pain, he received pleasure. Where there was supposed to be agony, he was rewarded with ecstasy. Oh..it was too much. Much too much.  
  
Goku had let himself bask in the moment before cautiously pulling back only to plunge back in, nearly writhing at the blissful waves of molten friction that manipulated his nerve-endings, making his body sing. He could hear and feel Vegeta's ragged inhales and exhales of air, could hear and feel the prince quiver and strain with him with each subtle movement. The brunette had long since closed his eyes, finding himself unable to do much more than lie there and experience the foreign sensations that stripped him down and took him over. Each gentle thrust made beads of sweat trickle off of their foreheads, and each movement enticed more.  
  
Vegeta felt his mind spin, bliss blinding his other senses, yet at the same time, heightening them. As the pace increased, the prince found himself looking for more oxygen, his tail lashing, craving more of the younger man's exquisite touch. He's never felt anything _near_ to what devoured his body at the current moment. Nothing could compare. Nothing ever would. He heard his name being whispered fervently from the black-haired Saijin's lips, and felt jolt after jolt of pure electrifying pleasure course through his inexperienced body.  
  
Vegeta's whimpers increased in volume, gradually morphing into delightful moans. Goku could not resist the purr which burst from his throat, trying to extract more of the heavenly noise from its captor. Vegeta didn't know how much he could take as the pleasure continuously increased with no end in sight, his vocal chords acted of their own will, and he screamed. Goku growled softly from satisfaction, rocking his hips rhythmically as he was pleasantly surprised by Vegeta's verbal outbursts.  
  
The prince tossed his head back and forth, crying out over and over again. He was in a daze of incredulity, unable to fathom how or why he was blessed to feel such divine rapture. His tail snapped out and latched onto Goku's arm, firmly clasping the wrist as he felt all the sensations well within himself. He could barely think, his body was going into sensory overload..  
  
The younger Saijin was shocked when his prince began moaning incoherent Saijin. Hearing the language from Vegeta's lips at that moment was the most erotic thing he had ever heard in his entire life. He called his prince's name in return, hoping it would have the same effect. The intensity of his pleasure was shocking, mind-blowing, and so delightful it made him want to curse with positive enthusiasm. When he felt the soft tail curl around his forearm he felt a brilliant surge of acceptance which in turn gave him a powerful, sexual rush. Vegeta's body was taunt and tight, compact, but flexible, and it held him in place. More than that, Vegeta was holding onto him and pulling him closer. He could feel it...Vegeta inviting him..urging him..begging him...  
  
'_Don't stop..._'  
  
The flex of sinewy muscles was satisfying, even glorifying to the pleasure. It was beautiful, as was his lover with flushed cheeks and silky skin. Vegeta wrapped his arms around Goku's broad shoulders, tangling his fingers into the dark mop of hair as the younger nipped at his neck playfully.  
  
"K..kk....k...k...." Vegeta choked, his lungs failing to draw any air in as his muscles began to clench. He tossed his head side to side frantically and felt his toes curl. He threw his head back, his eyes blind and body trembling. Seconds later his pleasure escalated to new, glorious heights, sending shockwaves of unfamiliar ecstasy to the very core of his being. His voice screamed at the top of his lungs, "KAKKAROT!!!" He arced up while pulling Goku down, his tail lashing wildly.  
  
Goku had sensed Vegeta's impending orgasm and had tried to slow his thrusts with no avail. He settled instead then for a harder, deeper pace that had the prince yelling his head off in approval. He groaned low as he felt Vegeta beginning to tense, his peak quickly approaching. As the prince pulled him down with brute force he lost all control and replied to the brunette's cry with one of his own, "VEGETAAA!" He could not breathe as he was swallowed by the overwhelming ecstasy of release. It felt more incredible than he could imagine. And he shared it with Vegeta.  
  
The Prince of Saijins slumped against the comfortable bed and pillow, his eyes closed as he attempted to regain his lost breath. Oh god..that had felt..had felt...and Kakkarot..oh god.... A light rumbling came from his throat, but it slowly faded away.  
  
Goku carefully withdrew and rolled to the side. He sighed as he collapsed onto the mattress, a content and boneless heap. He wrapped his arms around his prince and held him close. He kissed the brunette's skin softly, feeling sleep creep up upon him. "Vegeta?" he called out to the older man in a mere whisper. After a pause with no return, he nuzzled his prince, finishing his thought out loud, "I love you..."  
  
**SAIJIN SAYINGS: A List of Made-Up Words and Phrases This Chapter and Their Meanings**  
_orakara_- (n) closest translation would be a higher degree of 'bitch'  
_Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht_- Vegeta the Prince of Saijins  
_phu_- 'my' [think "hu" not "fu"]  
  
A/N: He "saw" the voice because it was in sign language. 


	15. Retreating to Regret

THANK YOU: Skip. Worship Skip. Without Skip, this chapter would've taken even longer to write. Pay homage to the almighty Skip. I do.  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 11**  
aka **Retreating to Regret**  
  
_"Fake, you're a counterfeit, fake/  
You know that we figured you out/  
And I'm sick of you too/"_  
-Limp Bizkit "Counterfeit" (Lethal Dose Extreme Guitar Mix)  
  
He once again made the slow transition between blissful sleep and consciousness. It was unlike other mornings where he was accustomed to experiencing a pounding headache, painfully heavy eyelids, and a brutal ache in his entire body. There only existed a pleasant well-rested feeling and a dull soreness in his muscles. He unraveled his tail from whatever it was wrapped around and stretched it, fluffing the fur out before letting it smooth back to normal. Finally deciding to leave his subconscious, the prince inhaled deeply, opening his eyes.  
  
Immediately he froze, his stomach twisting in intricate knots. His eyes locked onto the figure next to him as shock coursed through his veins. Vegeta felt his cheeks burn as the memories of the previous night came flooding back to him. It was then he was all too aware of the heavy scent which hung in the air like a perfume - the overwhelming mixture of perspiration, and another which the brunette would thereafter be able to recognize: sex. It was also then that he noticed that the arm of his fellow Saijin was around his waist. Vegeta scrambled back out of the bed, watching as Goku made a slight noise of disappointment and continued on sleeping. His tail wrapped around his waist as, for the first time in a long time, he felt _completely_ terrified.  
  
His eyes darted around, looking for something to ease his panic, and he spotted the doorway on the other side of the room. Vegeta silently raced inside, shutting the door carefully as to not awaken the black-haired man. He shivered as the cold air finally began to effect his body. He spun around and examined his surroundings.  
  
In an instant, he was in the shower, cold water cascading over his skin. He grabbed a washcloth and bar of soap and began to lather up, scrubbing away the evidence of the act he'd participated in. He kept washing and re-washing until the water scoured him, and even then he did not stop. 'What have I done!?' he asked himself over and over, ignoring his hair as it fell in front of his eyes, 'God..What have I _done_!?' He remembered the way Kakkarot touched him, how it had been in all the same places his kidnappers had touched him..but with Kakkarot he hadn't felt the instinctual need to escape, the taintedness of it all. With Kakkarot it had felt...  
  
Vegeta could no longer support himself, and he fell to his knees, his arms wrapping around himself. His stomach trembled violently as he recalled what happened _after_ the touches. Kakkarot had been intimate with him - more intimate than Vegeta had ever experienced, had even thought of experiencing. He'd never even once considered that someone would want to be with him in any type of relationship, and so he had never wished to be in a relationship.  
  
But the current situation had changed rapidly between the two Saijins, and Vegeta had to wonder why he'd done anything with the other man. His willingness to Goku surprised even himself. And Goku's bewildering desire had also been unexpected. And now he had had sex with Kakkarot. Now, his virginity was gone. Bitter, hot, shameful tears built up in his eyes, his muscles tightening, the soreness taunting him and his grave mistake. He'd given away the last bit of innocence he'd retained and he'd never, ever, get it back. He felt humiliated, again, and the tears came, and for the first time ever, he let them.  
  
---  
  
Goku yawned and stretched his entire body. He inhaled deeply and spread himself out across the bed. Vegeta wasn't present, but he heard the shower running and told himself not to worry. He stared up at the ceiling, letting his throat burst out a content purr. God, he felt so good... Vegeta's scent wafted around him, causing the events of the last night to repeat themselves in his head. He closed his eyes as a look of bliss crossed his face. Having sex with Vegeta was like a dream come true. To be with a partner that wouldn't break easily was pure joy. Sure there was the pressure to please, but he was pretty sure he had done well for how Vegeta had been screaming and moaning his head off. His purr turned enthusiastic, his vocal chords itching for use. He felt as if he could sing, but he couldn't think of any song off the top of his head.  
  
His head was rather one-tracked at the moment and it was revolving around his prince. He rolled over onto his stomach, letting his purr calm into a quiet rumble. He blinked as he realized what he was staring at: the back board of the bed. Two of the bars were bent and slightly indented. He knew instantly that Vegeta had done it the previous night and he probably didn't even realize he'd done it. His lips upturned into a smile as he remembered the relaxed features of Vegeta's face as he slept. He then blushed as he remembered the flushed face of the same man, screaming his name in ecstasy. Goku inhaled deeply, sharply, trying to restrain his body.  
  
Chi-chi had never screamed like that. Chi-chi had never tossed her head back and forth. Chi-chi had never wrapped her legs around his waist, trying to participate. It had always been about her, her, her and how he was supposed to do everything for her. Sex was more of a chore than anything when he'd been with his wife. He sighed as he opened his eyes, staring blankly off into space. That was one way to get rid of an erection, he thought to himself. He then decided perhaps it was time to get up. He stood and stretched, running his hands through his unruly mop of hair. He needed a shower, no doubt, after all he'd been through since his last one, and he decided that joining Vegeta didn't sound like too bad of an idea...  
  
..Until the prince came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a large towel that covered him from chest to knee, only being held up by the Saijin's hands. Vegeta paused and felt his cheeks flush slightly before he marched over to the dresser to get some clothes. Goku smiled and shook his head, merely trotting into the shower to see if any hot water was left. Hearing the water run, Vegeta was finally safe to curse in a variety of foreign languages. He threw open the drawer and grabbed a pair of underwear, not bothering to pay it any attention. He only noted that he'd grabbed a pair of briefs when he jammed them on, scrounging up an outfit from loitering various drawers. Only after he had finished slipping on a pair of socks did he finally notice he was nearly hyperventilating.  
  
He cast a look over at the painting on the far wall, thinking, 'What would you think of me now?' His breath began to return to him as his mind raced, spitting out option after option, only to reject them all. He actually fancied the idea of running, but then Goku threw open the bathroom door, rubbing a towel against his ebony locks, apparently oblivious to his own nudity. Vegeta clenched his teeth and looked elsewhere.  
  
The black-haired man finally opted to drop the towel and just shake his hair out. He paused when he felt apprehension from the brunette. He stopped, turned to him, and smiled, "Morning, Vegeta." The prince felt his lips curl back into a sneer, which the other man thought to be rather sarcastic and laughed at it. Goku approached him and Vegeta felt his tail coil around his own waist.  
  
Leaning over, Goku simply placed a kiss on his cheek before grabbing the smaller man in an embrace. Vegeta was stunned as arms encircled him, holding him close. He stared blankly with his head resting on Goku's chest, just listening to the soothing thump of his heartbeat. "You're incredible, do you know that?" Goku whispered into his ear, sighing contently. Vegeta's face burned, his stomach trembling in pain. He begged to the gods for a way out of his situation.  
  
And then the phone rang. Goku drew back and went to go answer it, Vegeta then noting the lack of the appliance in the main bed room. With the other Saijin out of the room, Vegeta found air rushing into his lungs. He leaned against the dresser for support, running a hand through his hair, pausing to tug on the strands. This all felt too insanely...okay.  
  
This had to be stopped, one way, or the other..  
  
As the prince listened to Goku happily chitter away in the other room, he made a decision. The familiar, ever-welcomed feeling rose within him once again. The maelstrom of humiliation brought upon the knowledge that this was _his fault_. He was careless, and now he was burned, and burned like he'd never been before. He had lost his family, "friends", allies, planet, innocence, life, pride, and now, his virginity as well. With this realized, he sadly came to conclusion that everything good inside of him was decaying or dead. He was _tainted._  
  
Now, the man who had started his obsession, the man who caused him to realize his failure, and the man who killed his pride, was the same man he shared something exceedingly personal and intimate, and he'd never, ever, be able to change that. And the back of his mind whispered, 'Do you know what he's going to do now?' Vegeta felt himself physically shake, his hands curling into fists so tight the muscles began to protest. Fuck the last how many years of his life. Fuck drinking. Fuck smoking. Fuck the Earthlings. And especially fuck Kakkarot.  
  
Vegeta flushed as he noticed the poor choice in wording, but found that this only added to the burning desire that clawed at him, like it had so much recently. On Kakkarot's birthday, then a few days later at Kami's, then later still, the fight with Cell, and now, again. It made too much sense. Kakkarot was present each of the times he'd been consumed by the fulfillment. It was too coincidental. The hall seemed to echo, and then increase the volume of Goku's voice as he jabbered on and on with whoever it was on the line. With a glance towards his favorite, and most disliked picture in the room - favorite because it reminded him of better times, and hated for the very same reason - he thought, 'I have put my entire race to shame.' As he heard the one-sided conversation end, and footsteps approach the room, Vegeta did what he could to control his ki. He wondered what he would do; he had no idea how to act when the black-haired hero returned.  
  
Rapidly, almost too quickly, Vegeta imagined Goku coming around the corner and seeing a Super Saijin holding a ki blast in his direction. How simple it would be to destroy this cretin when Cell passed away after three meager blows! Kakkarot was no match for Cell, and therefore no match for Vegeta - oh how blissfully easy it would be! He could nearly hear his throat bursting with an excited purr at the demise of his fellow Saijin. The sheer level of which the younger trusted the elder could only be described as complete stupidity, and - ho! It wasn't the prince's fault if the only way to rectify the current situation was to blow Kakkarot's brains out and make him modern art. In a half second, Vegeta stumbled, almost letting himself call upon that ability to transform. Memory called to him, spoiling him further: _Yes, he was going to kill the last of his kind. And, **oh yes**, it was going to feel **so** good._ The time it took to dream up the simple solution was near frightening to the brunette, and he pushed it away before he dwelled on it any longer.  
  
And then, Goku appeared in the doorway, smiling brightly. Vegeta felt as if he was going to burst, until he noticed the smile just wasn't a smile in _general_, but a smile directed towards _him_. It was unnerving, and the prince refused to gaze at Goku any longer, especially since he was nude. "What's the matter?" the light voice asked in a concerned manner.  
  
"Get dressed," Vegeta growled, folding his arms and letting his fingers dig into his skin. He hoped he wouldn't bleed, because then he'd really be pestered. And who knew what would happen if he was pestered.  
  
"Oh, okay," was all Goku said in response.  
  
He heard the dresser drawers opening and closing, and the rustling of clothes. He could envision that little voice, that little...past version of himself, tapping a finger against his cheek sarcastically while remarking, "What to do, what to do...low level moron not expecting revenge, what to do..." What to do, indeed, especially since the said moron wrapped his arms around him, purring like there wasn't a care in the world. Vegeta stiffened.  
  
"What is it?" Goku asked, drawing back. The Prince of Saijins said nothing. Goku let his arms fall to his sides, and slowly, with a hint of sadness and disappointment he asked, "I didn't hurt you, did I?" Vegeta's first reaction was to laugh, but he held it down. Of _course_ he had hurt him! He'd been hurting him for years! Goku was like a professional hurt machine, with his sole purpose to cause his prince utterly obsessive torture of which would never be neither forgiven nor forgotten. As he opened his mouth to say something, the gentle voice behind him persisted. "Oh god, if I did...I didn't mean to, I thought..I thought you were enjoying it too," Goku's voice edged panic, but he composed, "I wasn't sure what to do, I just....I'd never been with.....you know...I..."  
  
For some reason Vegeta couldn't stand the tones; the soft apologetic murmurs that met his ears were simply too frustrating. That coupled with the fact that Goku was referring to their intimate session last night threw him off guard. "No! It only hurt for a little bit, but otherwise it was fine!" Vegeta spat out, not even paying attention to his own words.  
  
He felt relief from the other Saijin, but the unguarded thoughts were mutely heard by the brunette, '_Only just fine?_' He slammed down his mind at the dejection the other man had aimed at himself. Kakkarot, whether he liked to admit it or not, was right. It wasn't just "fine", it was.....  
  
Vegeta forced himself to face reality, which he seemed to have been avoiding his entire life. Sex with Kakkarot wasn't just "fine", it was, in all honesty, the best damn thing he'd ever felt in his miserable putrid existence, and by god....he'd never admit it, but he'd wipe out galaxy clusters just to have his brains fucked out again. Then again, he'd destroy more than a few measly galaxy clusters to prevent just that from occurring.  
  
Goku shrugged and announced, "Well, Android Seventeen's throwing a big party, kind of like an apology of sorts for wanting to destroy the world. So everyone's headed to Capsule Corp to eat, hang out, and watch Yamcha's baseball game. I think it'll be fun, not to mention free food. They'll be starting soon, so we better hurry!" Beaming, the other man went in search of his shoes, leaving Vegeta to come to grips with this chosen fate.  
  
There was no "Would you like to go?", it was simply "We better hurry!". His entire choice and opinion in the matter had been revoked. The assumption that the prince would want to go wasn't only appalling, but degrading. What more, it was at Capsule Corp, and Kakkarot _surely knew_ of his hatred of Zarbon and his blue-haired bitch. Vegeta suddenly found the reasoning behind all of his turmoil - he'd indulged, he'd partaken in the ultimate sin of taking innocence, while simultaneously losing his own. Yes, _now_ it was too clear. The homage was too good for him.  
  
---  
  
"Hey guys!" Goku called out, waving to the group as he and Vegeta walked towards them.  
  
"Goku!" Krillin replied, grinning broadly, "Glad you could make it!"  
  
The black-haired Saijin gave his friend a pat on the back, "Me too! Sorry if we're a bit late, we slept in." Trunks, who couldn't help but let himself eavesdrop, instantly choked on his soda. "Trunks, you okay?" Goku asked as he heard the young man hacking. The teen nodded, excusing himself to go cough elsewhere. "So, what's the score?" Goku asked as he searched for the nearest snack item.  
  
"Tied right now," Krillin said, retaking his seat.  
  
Goku munched on a handful of cheese puffs, "Weewy? 'Oo. 'Amka 'ill sckike 'em ow."  
  
The bald warrior laughed, "Man, Goku..hasn't anyone ever told you to not talk with your mouth full?"  
  
Goku swallowed and smiled sheepishly, "Heh, yeah...Chi-chi."  
  
Krillin chuckled, watching Goku grab another heaping handful, "Of course."  
  
"Okay you carbon-based life forms," Seventeen said as he entered the room, "Here's the real food."  
  
Vegeta's mind suddenly ensnared itself into a minor detail it had overlooked before, "Wait a second! Aren't you dead??"  
  
That crisp, enraging voice answered him, "Well, while you were off getting smashed or whatever the Hell it was you've been doing - we've been doing some productive things here over the past three days."  
  
...Three days was all it took to undo him. Three days to become what he denied and loathed. No more.  
  
Growling, Vegeta turned and stormed down the hall, but he'd gotten no farther than four yards when a hand gripped him. "Vegeta, calm down," Goku said softly, his eyes begging, pleading. It was as if the man had no backbone at all, and was a spineless chicken shit like..like.... Vegeta snarled as his most common companion forced thought aside as if it wasn't a necessity.  
  
"Why should I? Give me one good reason!" Vegeta demanded, twisting himself out of Goku's restraints.  
  
"Because we're at a party," Goku said simply, becoming exasperated by the prince's sudden defensive posture.  
  
"Let's keep with tradition then, shall we?" Vegeta clipped his words, making them bitterly short. Goku sighed, having no idea what to say. So instead, he didn't say anything.  
  
He dipped his head down and kissed him tenderly, "Look. You can be honest with me. Does this have to do with last night?" Vegeta said nothing. "Did I rush you?" Goku asked, his black eyes empathetic.  
  
'_Did I rush you_?' Vegeta repeated the question in his head.  
  
From the depths of his being, Vegeta couldn't deny the horrific answer that yes, this had to do with what occurred the previous night. He also could not ignore all the other accounts of calamity that had happened within the most recent year of his life. He was doing much better trying to see how many bottles of Jack Daniel's he could chug before he blacked out than when the others took an interest to his life. Things used to be so simple, and now they were so muddled up he couldn't tell the difference between left and right.  
  
Goku placed his hands on Vegeta's shoulders, gently rubbing his thumbs across the clothed skin. "Please," he whispered, leaning over to look the prince in the eyes, "Tell me." Vegeta said nothing. "Phu Jakaht..." Goku released the phrase as a breathless whine. It was enough. It was one thing to be concerned for another to a degree, but this was just pathetic!  
  
"I-" Before Vegeta could finish, or truly begin, a mouth sealed over his own, a tongue effectively silencing him. He reacted how he initially did when being kissed - he did not respond. Just then, an ear-piercing shriek stopped all activities in the house, especially the one shared between the two Saijins seeing as it was the shriek came from just down the hall from them.  
  
"GOKU! Wh-Wh-_What_ are you doing!?" Chi-chi screamed in absolute revulsion.  
  
"Chi-chi!?" Goku only managed to say as he was caught red-handed. Vegeta took the distraction to his benefit and he backed up, away from everyone, especially Kakkarot.  
  
"What do you think you're doing kissing him!?" his wife bellowed at the top of her lungs. This outburst drew a crowd, so instead of just one, Goku was going to have to answer them all. Vegeta expected him to make up some lame ass story and beg for forgiveness, but he was instead surprised when Goku talked in a calm, steady voice.  
  
"Why does one kiss another, Chi-chi?" Goku more stated than asked. He paused, as if expecting an answer, then finally continued, "It is a sign of affection. Is it not?"  
  
The young woman was mortified by the implications, and in a raspy voice she hissed, "You're..You're _not_ having an affair with _that_ man!"  
  
Goku growled lightly in his throat, giving warning that she was starting to cross lines that she should not cross. "We might have a disagreement there," Goku mentioned before looking over his shoulder at his prince, "Right, Vegeta?" Black eyes stared at one another, and the silence that lumbered was too foreboding.  
  
"No," Vegeta said. Goku felt his stomach churn as all the negative emotions began to eat away at him. He thought, just maybe, Vegeta was, perhaps, referring to something else. He wasn't denying their relationship...was he? He gazed into the black eyes again when the world came into focus from its brief lapse. Where he had seen pain, despair, lackluster, grief - he had even seen warmth, contentness, excitement, and passion, but now there was no trace of those emotions.  
  
Vegeta's black eyes smoldered with the fires of Hell, a look too familiar, yet so old, that Goku felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. It was the same look in the eyes he'd seen when his body was batted around like nothing. The same look he saw when his legs were broken, and as he was kicked while he was down. The same look as his body was slowly crushed.. Then it was Goku's worst nightmare all over again - the _smirk_ that came with those eyes was reborn.  
  
"Did it ever occur to you," the prince drawled out, slowly folding his arms, "that this entire time you've been mistaken? And did you believe that this diseased-ridden person that I am, can so easily be swayed to join your chaste and saintly ways of life? Did you honesty have faith that your stupidity would impress me? Or did you hope to win me over with your stunning display of ludicrous trust?" Goku was frozen in place as his mind kept trying to wake itself, but each time it got closer and closer to realizing that this was really happening, that these words were truly coming from Vegeta's mouth, his adrenaline began to pump through his veins faster and faster.  
  
"Either way, you're wrong," Vegeta stated, "You have been wrong, and you've always been wrong. I don't care about anything you've showed me on this pathetic little planet - not the ancient ruins of the long dead empires, not the types of sports earthlings play for fun, not the variety of food, and most definitely not _you_. The mere thought of you causes bile to rise in the back of my throat! To think that I willingly allowed your presence about me simply causes me physical illness! And no, this isn't merely about the fact that I am your prince, it is the fact that...that _I am me_ and _you are you_. How could I have let you deceive me into thinking that this planet did not deserve extermination? Every sight, sound, smell - everything - about this mud ball disgusts me!"  
  
Dark eyes narrowed and the thick sultry voice quieted, "Just as you do. I lied to you, Kakkarot. I played you for the fool that you are. Don't you see? My goal has been the same all these years: to gain more power, and conquer. As much as I hate to admit, I could not do this on my own. I was weaker and alone. I needed to bide my time, so I did. When news of the androids came, I knew that my chance was drawing nearer. If I could study you whilst training, I _too_ could unlock the power of Super Saijin. And even better! You came to me, so that I could examine you when you were least suspecting it. I had to gain your sickening trust, though..which came all too easy. It wasn't long before I had figured out your secrets from your unguarded mind, but still, I had to wait. Wait till the _perfect_ time to release it, so that I wouldn't cause any suspicion..."  
  
Goku choked on words, "V..ah....grkhh...." Finally, stumbling free, he was able to exclaim, "Th-That's why..! On my birthday...you were..so strong!"  
  
The eyes became near slits of concentrated triumph, complete with a matching smirk, "While you were busy fishing and camping, I was training under 500 times Earth's normal gravity." Vegeta allowed a respite to let the information sink in.  
  
Then he added, "And now, you _third class moron_, my Super Saijin self will be leaving this mangy little planet. I might even consider sparing it and leaving it out of my section of the universe." Goku reached out towards him, but the prince hissed and backed away, "Do not touch me! You have defiled me enough, you lame-brain asshole! Just..go back to your wife and son, and live out the rest of your pitiful existence and be happy you have that!" As if to further the point that the conversation was over, Vegeta turned his back on him and headed towards the door. Goku's hand touched the shorter man's shoulder and it was proven to be a grave mistake.  
  
As soon as contact was made, the brown hair flashed, thereafter burning like a pillar of gold. The move was instantaneous, so quick that no one present could follow it. All that was known of the action was to be assessed by the aftermath. There stood Vegeta, towering over Goku on the ground. "**Orakara!**" the prince roared, energy crackling around him as Goku tentatively cupped his bloody nose. The crimson liquid flowed like a miniature river, dribbling down Goku's lips and chin, and further still. As he looked up in shock at his assailant, he only saw that condescending glare. In a final act, Vegeta spat in his face.  
  
Goku stayed silent and still as the door slammed open. With no more words needed to be exchanged, the "soon-to-be Lord of the Universe" took to the skies. After a few minutes of dead silence, there came the soft sound of bitter, irrepressible anguish. Then, with one last shuddering breath before he sobbed, Goku said, "He hates me..." And then, he only knew of pain.  
  
**SAIJIN SAYINGS: A List of Made-Up Words and Phrases This Chapter and Their Meanings**  
_phu Jakaht_- 'my prince'  
_orakara_- (n) closest translation would be a higher degree of 'bitch' 


	16. Losing Ground

**Pandora's Box: Chapter 12**  
aka **Losing Ground**  
  
_"can you take it all away?/  
well you shoved it in my face/  
this pain you gave to me/  
can you take it all away?/"_  
-Puddle of Mudd "Blurry"  
  
As Goku drew his knees up to hide his face, Trunks approached. The black-haired man's frame shook from the first heaves of his chest, and Trunks' pace considerably slowed as if second-guessing whether he should attempt comfort or not. He knelt beside the other Saijin and gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder. Goku clutched his knees closer, as if too ashamed to face anyone, unable to hold in the harsh moans of defeat.  
  
Trunks wanted to say something to reassure him that everything would be okay, but due to personal experience from his true timeline, he knew that reality was, more often than not, Hell on Earth. So instead of speaking, he lightly massaged the shoulder, trying to place some of his support upon Goku. In response there came a muffled sob of, "...oh god, he used me, he used me, he used me..." His wife decided to take appropriate action, which to her, was reprimanding him for his wrong doings.  
  
"Well, Goku, I can't say that I feel sorry for you," Chi-chi said with her hands on her hips, "because you deserve such a thing for cheating on me. With _him_ of all people! I am your wife, does that mean nothing to you??"  
  
Restraining himself, Goku exposed his tear-streaked face, "I am your husband, does it mean nothing to you!?"  
  
The lady was appalled that he'd treat her with such disrespect, "What are you talking about!? You're always running around, fighting, training, eating..DYING! Don't you like being with me!? Why him, Goku!? Why Vegeta!?"  
  
Goku ran his hands through his hair, tugging at the locks in frustration and emotional stress, "I am who I am, Chi-chi! I will never change! Not for you! Not for anyone! I like you Chi-chi, but I cannot have a wife who treats me like a _child_!"  
  
Chi-chi interjected, nearly screaming, "I do not! And you didn't answer my question! _Why Vegeta!?_"  
  
An explosion of pent up anger ripped through Goku's being as he broke under pressure. In an instant, his hair flashed gold and his aura compounded - burning brighter, more deadly, "Because he doesn't hold any expectations of me! He doesn't unfairly judge me! He listened to me! He went places with me! We enjoyed each other's company! Because he didn't yell at me for no good reason! Because he..because he came to _my_ rescue when Cell nearly killed me! Because he understands me more than you ever will!! He treats me more like a normal person than you do!"  
  
"He used you!" Chi-chi countered, becoming so enraged that her whole face was red, "That bastard screwed you senseless!!"  
  
For a moment, Goku was too taken aback to even be able to think clearly. Her words triggered memories of the Saijins' intense tryst. He felt something inside of him snap, and his words flowed out of his mouth like a calm river before a waterfall, "You bitch. I don't care if he did use me, he _still_ treated me better than you ever had. At least he pretended to respect me. At least he pretended to care. At least _he_ would scream my name..." The statement seemed to have dropped a bombshell on everyone.  
  
Chi-chi soon turned red for a different reason, "Y-Y-You..." She managed to shake off her shock and clench her teeth, curling her hands into fists, "I can't believe _you_. You don't see it, but he _has_ changed you. You're nothing more than a..a...whore!" For a minute, all the Saijin could do was open and close his mouth, so surprised at Chi-Chi's demeanor. She was positively livid.  
  
Zarbon interjected, having watched the display intently, "Goku, it was naive of you to think you could change Vegeta." A heavy silence hung in the air, thick with unspoken tension.  
  
"Zarbon and Chi-chi are right, Goku," Krillin murmured softly, his eyes downcast.  
  
Goku couldn't believe what was happening, "WHAT THE FUCK!? Is the whole fucking world against me!? Fuck this shit!"  
  
Chi-chi yelled above him, "Stop cursing in front of my son!"  
  
Goku felt a well of hot tears emerge from within him, "NO! I won't! I'll say whatever I want, whenever I want! I'm sick of..of sacrificing my happiness to please everyone else! Well, I'm not fucking happy, so there!! I'm not this happy-go-lucky fool of a hero that bumbles around on a candy-assed cloud all day! I am a Saijin! And I've lived up to these stupid, impossible expectations for far too fucking long! ..And saying fuck never hurt anyone! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!" There was a pause from the sheer severity of it all. "I can't take this! _Fuck_, I can't stop saying _fuck!_ AH! Fuck this, _I'm leaving!!_" Goku screamed in complete and utter despair. With ease he ran out the door and blasted into the sky, leaving only a streak of gold in his wake.  
  
With the sense of him leaving all his friends and family behind for a life far away by himself, Goku let himself cry, the wind nearly instantly drying his tears as they fell. In a matter of minutes he'd lost everything he held dear to him. And it had been caused by the same person he had so deeply fallen for. Fate could not be more cruel. The escapades at the beach. The games at the ice rink. The prince's birthday party. ...Their love-making..... All a vicious, cold, lie. So easily Vegeta had crushed his spirit. The mental damage reflected upon his physical body as his hair flickered back and forth between black and blond, which - eventually - he let go of his shaky grasp on his ki, and fell to the earth. He wasn't damaged in any place visual from the fall, but he had never felt more desperately alone and beaten then at that moment. He imagined Vegeta off somewhere laughing at him.  
  
His train of thought suddenly shifted back to that of his comrades. What would they say upon his return, if he ever did return? How would they act around him? Who would still be his friend,and who would give him up? He doubted Trunks would turn away, as it appeared that boy had much hope and faith, and, judging from the fact that he had tried to offer solace, the demi-Saijin was most certainly "on his side". Krillin, he was pretty sure, would no longer maintain the best friend status, due to the recent events that had come into light. He wasn't too certain that Krillin was opposed to homosexuality, but apparently his thoughts matched that of Chi-chi's and Zarbon's - and that was never a good sign.  
  
Yamcha would hesitantly back off and quietly stand by Bulma's side, just for old time's sake. Bulma, naturally, would agree with Zarbon. He had no idea how Tien or Chao-tzu would react, as they had been oblivious to the friendship shared by the two full-blooded Saijins. He expected surprise and rejection, knowing how conservative the two could be. There was only three people he could truly believe would stay beside him, and that was Trunks, Piccolo, and Gohan. Gohan had always supported him, no matter what his decisions, which was kind of odd for a child to do to their parent, but Goku had treated him likewise. Piccolo would probably be squeamish on the basis that Goku had been with the prince intimately, and even more squeamish due to Vegeta's shocking revelations.  
  
However, Piccolo, in the mean time, had been listening intently to the heated debate on the entire Goku/Vegeta and then Goku/Chi-chi arguments. Finally, unable to take any more of the bickering, he motioned to Trunks to casually leave the room and exit through the back door. Outside, they both gave a sigh of relief as their ears were given a rest. "What do you think happened to Goku?" Trunks finally got the nerve to speak up.  
  
"It is not Goku who I'm necessarily concerned about at this moment," the Namek informed solemnly.  
  
"What??" Trunks replied, eyebrows raising in shock.  
  
"Goku is a strong one, and an event such as this, even though it is powerful, will not overcome him. Vegeta, on the other hand, I am sincerely worried about," Piccolo spoke, slowly walking further away from Capsule Corp as he could still hear the people shouting back and forth to each other.  
  
Trunks followed, his curiosity sparked, "But you heard my dad..He was-"  
  
Piccolo cut him off, instantly, sharply, "-lying. He was lying out of his ass so bad, it wasn't even funny, Trunks." They stopped underneath a tree to converse, distant enough that the voices couldn't even reach the green-skinned one's ears. "It was a pretty impressive speech, I must admit," Piccolo smirked softly before his pensive look returned, "but there had been something that had bothered me about it. Something that seemed off about it. While everyone was bantering, I think I finally figured it out. Vegeta had spoken of leaving Earth and going to rule the universe, and that he didn't care anything for Goku. But something that struck me as odd is that he said he wouldn't blow the planet up. What more, he told Goku to return to his wife and son."  
  
Trunks assessed the information, recalling the brutal words spoken by his father again, this time dissecting the little monologue, "That's true. If he really didn't care, we'd probably all be dead by now!"  
  
Piccolo nodded in affirmation, "Correct. My theory is that Vegeta got scared."  
  
Trunks blinked and tilted his head to the side, not comprehending, "Scared? Of what?? That's absurd!"  
  
Piccolo shrugged and folded his arms, eyes gazing into the distance, "It may seem that way at first, but with me having hands on experience with that prince, I can tell you, it's very logical to him. Now, assuming what Goku said to Chi-chi is true, we can say that, as it seems, Goku and Vegeta..shared an..ah...."  
  
Trunks decided to help out, "We can say that they had sex..?"  
  
Piccolo coughed lightly and gave one swift nod, "Indeed. And I also think it's safe to assume that that is a new experience for Vegeta."  
  
"Why do you say that?" Trunks found himself asking.  
  
"Well, try to put yourself in his shoes. Not to mention I'm nearly a hundred percent sure he's been traumatized as a child, and I fear it may have been a sexual encounter," Piccolo said grimly, looking back at Trunks' pale visage, "Listen Trunks, what I'm about to tell you no one knows but me, but... A few days ago Vegeta showed up at the lookout, and I invited him to stay. He reluctantly agreed, and some time later I found him - intoxicated. I wrapped him in a towel, took him to the showers, and when I took away the towel, he lashed out at me."  
  
Trunks felt a knot warp itself into existence in the pit of his stomach, "How did he lash out exactly?"  
  
Piccolo's lips were pulled into a flat, thin line as he spoke, "He started pleading for me not to hurt him, and to not touch him. He began crying and calling for help. The way it happened, Trunks..it was too eerie, it was as if he thought I was an assailant."  
  
Trunks blinked hard, wondering if her heard the Namek correctly, "Wait..are you saying what I think you're saying?? ..He thought you were going to rape him!?"  
  
Piccolo paused, then finally nodded, "Unfortunately, yes, that is what I believe he was fearful of. Though that is physically impossible, I don't believe he was aware of that at the moment. Anyway, the entire point is that I think it's safe to say that - one - Goku and Vegeta have an intimate relationship and - two - Vegeta reacts violently to physical touch, affectionate or not. I think he doesn't know how to respond to the love Goku is offering, that coupled with the fact Vegeta probably thinks he is on a level _below_ Goku, contributes to the reasoning behind his actions today."  
  
"Do you think Goku knows?" Trunks asked, folding his arms.  
  
"About Vegeta's traumatization? Yes. About how he was lying? No. And neither about his sex life. ..I can't prove it, but I have a feeling that...Goku was his..first," Piccolo flushed a deep purple, embarrassed by the topic of conversation.  
  
"How do you figure?"  
  
"Namek telepathy, though different, is just as strong as Saijin telepathy. It's a vibe I get, a hunch. Vegeta just doesn't seem like a..sexual creature."  
  
"Yeah. ...So, where do you think he is?" Trunks murmured, pushing his bangs away from his face.  
  
Piccolo sighed, unfolding his arms, "Hopefully, not dead."  
  
Piccolo's hopes were fulfilled, as the Prince of Saijins had been flying about the opposite side of the planet. He had flown the same path at least five times, and every time it felt like he was in some foreign place, lost. He finally stopped in mid-air as he found his breath was leaving him. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, he tried to stop his head from spinning. He looked around at the deep blue sky, at all the greenery of the vegetation, and all the different species of animals.  
  
He _was_ in some foreign place, and he was most definitely _lost_. Yeah, he was _really_ lost if he was pining over the loss of a stupid third class brain-damaged moron. This was his fault, and he needed to rectify the situation. He destroyed planets much like this one without even thinking twice. He closed his eyes, a headache throbbing in his temple in synch with the beating of his heart. The muscles within him tightened painfully, the soreness still lingering. This was his problem, and he would solve it his way. Forget all the stupid things he had learned on this stupid planet. No, scratch that - remember it all, and keep it all to heart. These were very important lessons, all of which he should make a detailed note of.  
  
Lesson one, he told himself, I am worthless, but so is everyone else.  
Lesson two, he thought, self-improvement is only achieved by self-destruction.  
Lesson three, he continued, the only way to be happy is to be alone.  
Lesson four, he concluded the idea, the price of happiness is at the expense of others' lives. The one who takes away your family is the one who is your savior.  
Lesson five, he mused, always kill your savior.  
Lesson six, destruction is freedom.  
Lesson seven, relationships are as meaningless as fighting in a losing war.  
Lesson eight, betrayal is the only means for survival, and survival is necessary for happiness. Death is a facade - a gilded cage.  
  
Throwing his head back he released a loud, boisterous laugh as he recalled memories from just months ago. The taste of toxic chemicals, the thick Earth-sky blue liquid burning the back of his throat, came back to him. The recollection of the pain from an intruding piece of sharp metal only made him laugh harder. He was a twisted, dark, evil creation, and he would always envelope himself in the type of joy one can only receive from the misfortunes of others. Kakkarot was a fool to think him anything else. Forget his lost innocence, there wasn't anything he could do about it anyway. It wasn't important, at least, not nearly as important as making himself free. And freedom could only be attained by destruction.  
  
The final lesson, he thought, is to be your own savior. Make your own freedom.  
Fuck everyone else. You're the highest ranking worthlessness in this universe, and if you're not...  
If you're not...well, you just fade. You become less than nothing.  
You become a parasite.  
  
He imagined a ghost from long ago looking at him disapprovingly. He could nearly see the figure shake his head before gesturing, Och. Nreh Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht, uru Nreh Nroch.Deep down he felt a hint of doubt, a shred of double-questioning, but instead he thought, 'Lessons three, four, and six: happiness is being alone, happiness is accomplished by destroying others, and destruction is freedom.' Reviewing his own mental notes he stumbled across a major logic flaw.  
  
Final lesson, be your own savior.  
Lesson five, always kill your savior.  
  
He couldn't help but laugh.  
  
**SAIJIN SAYINGS: A List of Made-Up Words and Phrases This Chapter and Their Meanings**  
_Och. Nreh Vegeta sha Saijin Jakaht, uru Nreh Nroch._- "No. You are Vegeta the Prince of Saijins, but you are you." 


	17. Sticks and Stones

A/N: This chapter has some explicit sexuality. Hence the "R" status. Just a heads up. I told you it was yaoi. And Renzuite can write, don't listen to her, she will liiiiiiiiiiiiiie!  
  
**Pandora's Box: Chapter 13**  
aka **Sticks and Stones**  
  
_"All the world is a stage/  
And everyone has their part/  
But how was I to know which way the story goes?/  
How was I to know you'd break my heart?"_  
-Madonna "Take a Bow"  
  
It took him a few minutes to decide that the best solution, out of all the scenarios he could come up with, was to forget his carefully thought out lessons. He was always his own savior, and he had killed his savior a long time ago. He needed to do something - something so drastic, and so obscenely hideous that it would forever ensnarl his soul and keep him bound to his way of life. He needed to bind himself in such a way that it freed him from himself, so that he may rise up and become the epitome of what he loathed. The same old comfortable feeling of disdain rose within him - like bile that creeps up your throat and you keep trying to swallow down the bitter taste, but it just keeps coming back.  
  
What he really needed was to fuck up his life so bad that there was no turning back. He was going to take everything that gave him joy and crush it mercilessly. Suffering and misery would whet his appetite for blood, and then he too would dine like he had once had with hundreds of thousands of other "xenocidees". No literal sense intended.  
  
Yes, this was the course he was going to take, and nothing could stop him. He was the strongest now, and when he went to Hell - as he surely would - he would be certain to brag to Freiza about the death count on his hands that surpassed the tyrant's. And he would laugh.  
  
And as just as easily as the idea that came to him that morning, he found another one calling to him. It had been there, lurking in the background, in the deep, dark recesses of his mind, just waiting for the right time to expose itself, and now it found its chance. Vegeta blankly thought it over once, before looking at it again, this time, his interest truly sparked. A smirk broke out across his lips and he thought, 'Eternal damn nation, here I come.' He jettisoned himself into the direction of Capsule Corp.  
  
It only took him a few minutes to get there, and when he finally arrived, he dropped his Super Saijin form and landed on the back side of the complex. There before him stood the old, unused capsule. He forgot if it was he who requested it being built or not, but it didn't really matter either, because he was taking it one way or the other. He paused for just a moment, to make sure no one was around, and then he casually hopped inside, fired it up, and took off.  
  
After a minute or so, it seemed someone did notice his launch as a view screen with Bulma's face on it popped up. "Where do you think you're going with my ship!?" she demanded, giving him the best glare she could muster. He approached the screen slowly, his smirk widening into a grin as he narrowed his eyes. As he took on a new expression, Bulma visibly became nervous.  
  
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," he said, slowly waving his index finger at her, "It is not where _I_ am going, but where _you are_ going."  
  
Zarbon's head poked into view - he looking more stern than Bulma, "Hey, you stupid monkey! Get back here _right now_!"  
  
Vegeta didn't even attempt to hold it back, he just let himself laugh to his heart's content. "Finders keepers, losers weepers!" the Saijin taunted, chuckling again before saying calmly, but with a sarcastic smile on his face, "I hear Hell is a nice place this time of year. Hope you enjoy your stay." He cut off the transmission and blocked any incoming calls. It would only take a few minutes now, and he'd be free.  
  
'Redemption is for the weak,' he thought, setting the course and turning on auto-pilot. He dug through some of the cargo units and found an old training suit of his. It was black instead of navy, and it wasn't like any of his normal bodysuits. He threw off his Earth clothes and pulled on the two pieces of stretchy material, first the shorts, then the near elbow-length shirt. He found an older type of armor plate. It was practically useless, but he slipped it on regardless, noting a crack on the left side just below the ribs. Looking at the cotton heaped up on the floor, he shot a ki blast at it, instantly igniting the material. He inhaled deeply, catching the leftover scent of perspiration on his outfit, and smoke from the fire he made. He found his tail swaying behind him excitedly.  
  
It had been too long since he had done something like this, and he wasn't going to stop for anything, even if it endangered his life, because, well, his savior was already dead, and had been dead for a long, long time - long before the one who took his family away died. He sat on the floor of the cold ship, staring out into space, waiting. It was kind of like meditation, except you don't focus your mind, but instead, you unfocus it. Somehow, that had always worked better with him when he was preparing for a fight. Minutes passed in seconds, and before he knew it, the computer gave a soft ding and an electronic voice spoke: "We have arrived at your destination." His placid look was exchanged for that smirk yet again.  
  
He stood and approached the control panel, swiftly typing in the code for an encompassing air-locked shield. This wasn't the first time he had used it; he had done this many times before with Nappa. He waited patiently for the oxygen to expand within its new boundaries before he headed for the door. It opened and he was given a view he had only seen once before. "This is what I should have done the first time, when I learned that you killed your own brother," the prince whispered, stepping out onto the loading ramp to gaze at the monstrous sight of the blue-green planet in front of him.  
  
It was a beautiful thing to see, especially knowing that not one soul, domestic or foreign to the world, was aware of what he was about to do. He closed his eyes to enjoy the sensation of adrenaline pumping through his veins, because he knew that it was likely that it would be the last time he'd ever feel it. He opened his eyes and smiled again. Then, at an easy pace, he allowed himself to transform into a Super Saijin. He had been powerful enough to do this task before Goku had defeated him that day so many years ago, so doing this while being Super Saijin was basically overkill. It was a matter of principle. He lifted his palms and pressed his wrists together, putting himself into position.  
  
'Goodbye, Kakkarot,' Vegeta thought, taking a breath before screaming at the top of his lungs, "**BIG BANG ATTACK!!**"  
  
Down below on the planet, Goku's eyes snapped open as he heard a distinct voice echo in his skull, '_Goodbye, Kakkarot._' Eyes wide in fear and dread, the black-haired man instantly clung onto Vegeta's ki signature. Snippets of visions entered his mind, and without hesitation, Goku placed two fingers to his forehead. Reappearing, he heard Vegeta scream, "**BIG BANG ATTACK!!**" His body moved of its own free will, and before Goku realized what he was doing, he had tackled Vegeta off of the space craft and now both of them went sprawling into the vacuum of space. This did, luckily, stop the prince from performing his technique. Seeing the brunette in Super Saijin mode, he too made the ascension, and now they wrestled furiously above Earth - a dominance struggle that meant the life or death for billions of people.  
  
They tumbled around, each feeling the odd burning within their lungs that indicated they needed fresh air, and soon. They were caught by Earth's gravity, having been somewhere in the vicinity of the ionosphere, and were now descending toward a greenish-brownish land mass. They fought with eyes locked while wind whipped their hair in every direction and icy air burned at their skin. Energy crackled around them as the darkness of space was becoming the blue of the atmosphere. No words were exchanged as further and further they fell, passing large tufts of clouds, both trying to force the other under their control, and both failing. Finally, they crashed, with Vegeta's hands pushing Goku deep into the ground, until, half a mile later, they halted. Uplifted dirt and rocks pelted the ground as an aftermath of their landing.  
  
Snarling loudly, Vegeta fisted his left hand into the collar of Goku's shirt, the younger man slightly dazed from the impact. "Son of a bitch! Don't you get it!?" Vegeta yelled, bringing his right fist down to make it collide with the jaw that was presented. The prince brought it down again and again. He punctuated his words with a punch, raining it down upon the marred face.  
  
"I!"  
Punch.  
"Hate!"  
Punch.  
"YOU!"  
  
He withdrew his bloody hand from Goku's face and twined his fingers in the Saijin's hair, lifting his head and slamming it down again, and again, and again. It felt so good to destroy something so beautiful. This creature that knew nothing of being a tainted, dirty, piece of trash that nobody would want nor care about if it was destroyed completely. This being of infinite purity knew nothing of how a thing such as the Prince of Saijins worked and functioned - how it was for him to be just like garbage. He, this almighty leader of a nearly extinct race, was something to be used up, thrown away, and put out of sight forever in some deep, dark pit, festering in stench and general uncleanliness, because no one likes to look at or possess trash. But what did Vegeta care? To him, everyone was going to be dead and gone, and they were all going to turn into fertilizer. What a way to go..just to be rejected and left to rot. At least when you're modern art you get to last for a little while before you fade off.  
  
Growling, he stood and dragged Goku up with him, watching the man whimper at his painful grasp. "You fucking parasite!" Vegeta spat, pushing Goku down onto his knees. He tugged, forcing the younger to look up at the elder, "What do you have to say for yourself!?" A moment passed and all that was heard was the harsh, rasping intake of air from Goku's trembling form. "WELL!?" the prince roared, pulling on the golden locks of hair. Goku only stared deep into his burning teal eyes, as if trying to fully comprehend what Vegeta had said. "FINE! So be it!!" Vegeta yelled, letting his left hand drop and his right hand swing forward, smashing his fist against Goku's head as hard as he could manage. The attack was powerful enough to send Goku sprawling, and also enough to force a loud crack to emit.  
  
Hunched over, Goku opened his mouth to catch his breath and a well of blood splattered against the ground. "So the mighty Kakkarot will finally lose," the prince teased, slowly walking around him like a vulture that circles its prey. He kicked the black-haired Saijin in the stomach and watched him crumple to the ground, groaning as more blood dribbled out of his mouth. "The great and wonderful Kakkarot will finally know what humiliation is," Vegeta continued to make his round, almost completing his three-sixty, "and he will finally perish by my hands for the final time."  
  
Goku gripped the coarse, sun-dried blades of grass between his fingers and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, spitting to remove his mouth of combined blood, saliva, and dirt. "I-Is that what you want?" Goku spoke in a weak voice, flinching, pausing, and swallowing, then finally speaking again, "You just want someone to hurt like you?"  
  
Vegeta kicked him onto his back and stepped down hard on his elbow, "_No_, that is not what I want! I want you to realize who and what you are!!"  
  
Goku gasped, his face completely contorted with pain as he felt something inside of him grind under the pressure Vegeta's foot was giving. "I want you to know," Vegeta said, rubbing his heel back and forth on purpose, "that life isn't as great as you make it out to be. Everything you showed me is a lie. Everything you are is a lie. I can't stand things like you, Kakkarot. Delusional little cretins like yourself should not be given the right to live."  
  
Goku abruptly cried out, his free hand clinging onto Vegeta's ankle as he was losing sensation in his pinned arm, "AH! Vegeta, please!!"  
  
The prince's expression hardened, his teeth clenching together in barely restrained rage, "You want _mercy_, boy!? I'll show _you_ mercy!!" He stepped off of his elbow and lifted him up by his shirt only to force him face first downwards so that his knee met Goku's torso. He let go of the shirt in mid-yank so that his arm could swing around without Goku's body getting in the way, and he interlaced his fingers, bringing his combined fists down onto the middle of the younger's back. Before he could reach the ground, Vegeta spun around and kicked him into the air, but instead of pursuing, he watched the younger man tumble across the ground as he landed.  
  
"Why aren't you fighting!?" Vegeta was visibly insulted by the lack of participation, "Get up and fight, Kakkarot!!" Goku shifted slightly, then he began the process of getting up, which took longer than the last time. "Hurry up, you pathetic bastard! I don't have all day!" Vegeta shouted, quickly marching up to the other Saijin. He kicked Goku lightly in the chin, hard enough to hurt, but not enough to do too much substantial damage. It was equally considered as a warning shot. "Fight me, Kakkarot!!" the prince demanded, waiting for the third class to rise and obey him. Instead, Goku merely looked up at him blankly, his eyes becoming the type of empty void that reflected a lack of fear, but did contain a type of defeated despair. Preparing to beat a lesson into Goku, Vegeta stopped his movement suddenly when Goku dropped out of Super Saijin form.  
  
"I can't fight you," the younger Saijin informed, not daring to move.  
  
Vegeta put his hand down, speaking lowly, "What did you say?"  
  
Goku closed his eyes, inhaled sharply, then looked back up at his prince, "I can't fight you! I won't fight you!"  
  
Vegeta felt a growl rise up his throat and become a disgusted snarl, "WHAT!?"  
  
Goku's determination returned, as if his spirit was jolted back into him, "I said I won't fight you! I won't do it and you cannot make me!"  
  
Vegeta clenched both of his fists tight, until the knuckles turned white and his fingernails began to dig into his palms, and then, he clenched them tighter, "_Why not..?_"  
  
"Do you think I can hit you!? Do you think I can try to hurt you when I feel the way I do about you!?" Goku yelled at him for the first time that evening, "I gave up everything for you, but you didn't even care! I could have lost it all so long as I had you, but without you, all of it isn't worth it! _Why!?_ Why did you have to do this to me?? You beat me, defeated me, bested me! You stripped all of my pride and stole all of my happiness! I showed you nothing but compassion and you do nothing but show me pain! So _why_ do I still feel the way I do!? How can you do this to me!?" He hiccupped and swallowed, breathing irregularly and shaking his head in disbelief, "You made me so happy..." Vegeta wanted to humiliate him, and it seemed his plan was working. "So..So I'm not going to fight you," Goku repeated, shuddering as tears began to unwillingly escape him, and silently, bitterly, he hoped Vegeta was happy, "and if you're going to kill me....then kill me."  
  
They sat in silence for a fleeting moment, and then, Goku began to sob. Desperately trying his best to hold back his tears, Goku choked out, "I...l-love you...."  
  
Finally, feeling as though he had done all that he could, Goku slumped and awaited a death blow which never came. Instead, a soft voice chided, "Kakkarot, stop crying." His entire frame shook, the agony slicing deeper with the sound of Vegeta's soothing voice, a voice he tried to tell himself must be a lie. He was too stressed, and he knew he was probably just making it up in his head to make himself feel better. Vegeta sighed, then spoke louder, his voice firm, but yet, still soft, "Kakkarot. Stop crying, now." Unable to end the stream of tears he shook his head weakly before looking down at the ground in shame. Two hands firmly gripped the sides of his head and forced him to look up. With a face lacking expression, Vegeta wiped away the younger Saijin's tears.  
  
Then, finally, the brunette's features relaxed and they stood staring at each other for an undetermined amount of time. Goku stared at him as if in a trance, and finally he noted as the gold receded back to his roots, restoring Vegeta's natural hair color. Leaning forward so that their noses nearly touched, Vegeta whispered to him, "I lied to you. About everything. I don't hate you, Kakkarot. I...."  
  
He didn't understand why it was so hard to say what he felt, but he knew that Goku deserved to know. In this moment, he had to say it, "Kakkarot, I...I love you.." He watched the other man stop breathing, a look of shock and pure disbelief written on his face. Seeing the uncertainty, but the longing in Goku's eyes, he knelt and repeated himself as if to assure the taller man, "I love you.." Goku searched Vegeta's feelings, trying to find any reason for him to not accept the declaration, to find any reason for him to believe Vegeta didn't mean it. All he found was powerful, positive, emotions. Emotions that Goku had felt from the smaller Saijin the previous evening. This was real. This was truly real, and Vegeta was in love with him. Goku suddenly threw himself onto the prince, his arms wrapping around his neck for support as he cried.  
  
"Oh god..why? _Why_ did you do this to me??" Goku's voice was half-muffled as he clung onto Vegeta, burying his face into the other man's shoulder.  
  
Almost hesitantly, Vegeta brought his hands up to gently rub Goku's back, "Kakkarot, it is difficult to explain. I..I have never been..loved, I..I don't even know if this is really..love I feel, but that is what I am going to call it. And...Kakkarot, you can't understand how dark and twisted I am. I..will always take joy from killing others, and that will never change. You..are so..incredibly pure that I become almost..jealous because of that. I thought that if I destroyed you, I could destroy myself. I just..wanted to show everyone how life isn't fair, and that life isn't as bad as they think it is. I wanted everyone to feel a part of them ripped out..I wanted Earth to perish, just like my..our own planet had. I know it's wrong, Kakkarot, but..it's all I know.  
  
"And, Kakkarot, when you - when I made you cry.. I knew I was breaking you, and I felt something that I never had before. At least, not like this. I felt helpless. You made me feel so..normal. I had seen many others cry, but, Kakkarot, to make _you_ cry, it was almost..like a sin. As much as I could enjoy seeing you like that, a part of me detested it.. And when you told me that you loved me, I.. I couldn't deny anymore. So the truth is, really, that you've broken me.."  
  
Goku pulled back so that he could look the prince in the eye, "Vegeta..I...."  
  
The brunette gripped the younger's shoulders tightly and continued his explanation, "No, listen. I may never summon the courage to say these words again. Last night, I let you.. I wanted you to be with me. I..." He took a breath before steadying himself, and steeling his resolve, "Look, Kakkarot, I wanted to have sex with you. You know what happened to me when I was a kid, and I always felt like that's what would happen again. I don't think you can understand, though. You didn't live that sort of lifestyle, and nor would I want you to. All I know - knew - was that being physically touched outside of battle was not a good thing. Being close to someone, having sex with someone, was a weakness on my part. I forfeit control and..I don't know, Kakkarot - that always meant pain.  
  
"Try to understand that affection wasn't looked too highly upon where I come from. I mean, sure, my father treated me well, but he died when I was so young. It's horrible to say, but Freiza was the closest thing to a father I've had, and that is why I hated him so. In all honesty, I knew that I felt this way for you..and it scared me. I was scared of growing weak, of being hurt, of..hurting you. So I told myself I could do without you. That this emotion was nothing, and I could move on, and I would move on. I could not love you..so I had to make you hate me. Then, I had to kill you. It was the only way to avoid regret. It was the only way to..to... to cope. I'm sorry, Kakkarot. I'm sorry I can't be the person you want me to be, or think I am. I'm not a good person, Kakkarot, I'm really not. But... But for you, I'd try to be."  
  
It was silent for a moment as Vegeta watched Goku's eyes fill with tears and a smile to curve his lips.  
  
"Oh, Vegeta..." Goku breathed before clutching the other man and smothering him in light kisses. Vegeta was too surprised to respond to the sudden display of affection, and after a moment, Goku finally stopped. They embraced one another for minutes on end. Finally, Goku pulled Vegeta's head down to meet him for a kiss. It was awkward at first, but Vegeta eventually relaxed and opened up to Goku. The other Saijin took advantage of the situation and began to explore Vegeta's mouth with his tongue. It was precisely then that Vegeta pulled back. "What's wrong?" Goku asked, worry lancing him at the disengagement. Holding a very serious expression, Vegeta tapped the side of Goku's jaw, watching as the younger man instantly recoiled in pain.  
  
"You taste like blood," the prince explained, then apologized, "I'm sorry I hit you."  
  
Goku gave a half-bitter laugh, "It's okay. I've had worse."  
  
Vegeta made Goku look into his eyes, "It is not okay. ...But it will be. I want to see you healed. That would make me..happy, Kakkarot."  
  
Standing up, Goku clasped his hand onto Vegeta's forearm, "Alright. Let's visit Korin then." As Vegeta got up, Goku gave him a once-over.  
  
"What?" Vegeta asked, suddenly becoming very defensive. In an instant, they appeared at the bottom of the lookout.  
  
"Come on, we have to climb," Goku said as he leapt onto the column that protruded from the ground and rose into the sky.  
  
Vegeta jumped up and began to climb alongside him, "No. I'm not letting it go that easy. Why did you look at me like that?"  
  
Goku chuckled before finally admitting, "That armor doesn't suit you."  
  
Vegeta paused and flushed slightly, "Well, I don't like that hideous gi you wear, but do you hear me complaining?"  
  
Goku shook his head before commenting, "You seem to find other things to insult." Vegeta stopped climbing, and Goku waited up for him. Growling lightly, the prince leaned back, his legs grasping the column for support as his hands removed the disapproved article. It constricted in size and tumbled down to the earth below, finally emitting a heavy thud. Without another word, Vegeta began climbing again, Goku following after. The younger man took this time to finish clearing the air of anything that needed to be spoken of, "Vegeta, I want to ask you something, and I would like for you to answer me honestly." The prince instantly felt nervous, because if there was a possibility that he would lie to Goku, it was very probable that he would not like the question.  
  
Finally, he replied to the other man, "Fine. Ask it."  
  
Goku smiled before letting it fade off a little, a blush lightly creeping onto his cheeks, "Last night, it was better than 'fine'..right?" Vegeta's eyes widened as he suddenly slipped, his tail wrapping around the poll tightly as he fell backwards, his head smacking hard against the stone.  
  
Goku peered over at him but dared not to even to chuckle as the shorter made no indication of moving. After a few moments, he finally heard Vegeta sigh, but it seemed that the other man had no intention of speaking at the moment. Goku was patient, and he waited without pressuring the brunette for an answer. He was finally rewarded when Vegeta began to speak softly, "It.." He paused, sighing again before finding his strength to recount what had occurred, "..It hurt at first, but..it..it was..uh.. It felt..." Vegeta shook his head and swung himself up, his hands looking for the next hold. He just didn't know what to say. "It was good?" Vegeta said, unsure if this would be a substantial response.  
  
Goku decided to prod by admitting his own feelings, hoping that if he opened up, it would cause Vegeta to do likewise, "To me, it was perfect. I know that must sound really stupid and cheesy, but, that's how I feel about it. I didn't have to worry about hurting you..er..too badly, you know. I mean, in comparison to Chi-chi she's like a twig and you're like a steel pipe."  
  
Vegeta couldn't help himself, he interjected in a sly voice, "Nice analogy. You're sounding more and more gay with each passing hour."  
  
"Well, let's see.. I had sex with a man, but that couldn't sound gay at all, could it?" the black-haired man shot back sarcastically.  
  
"Just don't start talking with a lisp or I'm gonna have to dump your ass," Vegeta threatened with a grin, "Now, let's get moving. I'm pretty sure you want that broken jaw fixed."  
  
Goku smirked and began climbing again, "It doesn't bother me; I don't even feel it."  
  
Vegeta chuckled a smooth, dark rumble, "Spoken like a true Saijin."  
  
Conversation dwindled as they approached Korin's home. Finally, they made it to horizontal ground. "Nice climb," the white cat congratulated the two who sat before him.  
  
"Hey Goku! Is that really you!?" a gruff voice shouted out.  
  
"Yajirobe??" Goku responded in shock - he hadn't expected the human to still be living way up there.  
  
"Hey man, I haven't seen you in a long time!" Yajirobe exclaimed as he came into view, approaching his old friend, "How are things?"  
  
Goku suddenly grinned ferally as a mischievous idea came to mind. The younger man leaned over and wrapped an arm around Vegeta, announcing, "I'm in love." After admitting his feelings, he snuggled against a very perturbed looking Saijin prince.  
  
Yajirobe instantly became visibly flustered. "Ha..ha... You're just kidding, right?" the overweight, retired warrior asked.  
  
Goku beamed and nuzzled Vegeta affectionately, a gentle purr rising out of him as he ignored Vegeta's obvious discomfort from the public display. Finally, Goku chose to answer Yajirobe with a smile, "No, I mean it. I'm leaving Chi-chi for Vegeta." Yajirobe suddenly stopped his nervous laughter and stared. He never knew Goku to be a liar, so he knew what Goku was saying was true.  
  
Vegeta suddenly snapped at him, "What!? You got a problem with that!?"  
  
Yajirobe threw up his hands in surrender, "No, no, no! If you guys want to be fags, that's fine with me!"  
  
Vegeta's face instantly flooded with color as he shouted, "Hey you fat fuck! I'm not a sissy-ass lisp-speaking homo, you got that!?! I don't take interest in anyone, so god knows why the Hell I like Kakkarot!!" Yajirobe visibly shrank, sweating up a storm from anxiety. He remembered the first impression he had of Vegeta, and unfortunately the idea stuck; so in his mind, Vegeta would always be a megalomaniac rampaging psycho.  
  
Korin lifted a paw and coughed lightly into it as if to draw everyone's attention into a new direction, "So, I assume you came for some senzu beans?"  
  
Vegeta stood and folded his arms, "We only need one." The diminutive cat waddled off to retrieve the desired object, and returned moments later.  
  
He handed the small bean to Goku who popped it in his mouth, bit down once, and instantly cringed, crying out, "Oooowww!!" Vegeta snickered at him, and Goku instantly gave him a sour look. "It wouldn't be so funny if it happened to you," Goku mumbled, biting the bean and wincing every time.  
  
"It's okay, Kakkarot, I laugh because I care," Vegeta answered as he leaned against the railing.  
  
"Somehow, I doubt that," Goku said in response, in between bites, "You don't laugh at someone you care about when they're in pain. But that's ok, because I know you'll just kiss it and make it feel better!"  
  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, that's what you think." Goku finally swallowed, closing his eyes as the healing properties of the senzu began to effect him. He felt his jaw bone mend itself, and the general aches and pains dissipate. He flexed his arm testingly and felt the elbow joint acting properly. "We can go now?" Vegeta thought out loud, standing up and looking at Goku expectantly.  
  
Goku got up as well, nodding, "We can go."  
  
The prince hopped over the railing and took to the sky with Goku quickly following as he waved goodbye. When they were a considerable distance away Vegeta abruptly halted in mid-air. The younger male tipped his head to the side and scrunched up his eyebrows in worry, "Hey..are you okay?" He heard the other Saijin sigh.  
  
"Give me a moment," the brunette requested as he kept his back to Goku. Now that everything was slowing down he had time to stop and think. The main consensus seemed to be leaning toward guilt. He couldn't share this with Kakkarot though, as he was the source of his ailment. A part of him applauded his 'bravery' in confessing his..feelings to the third class, but another part of him scorned him for putting him in a vulnerable position, and another part was denying - trying to persuade him? convince him? - that he'd still do best without Kakkarot's company. He was torn between taking a risk or living in the safety, the comfort, of routine. If he dared to be "happy" he could end up a lot worse than he had been feeling this past day, but if he gave up that chance he could miss out on that wonderful feeling..the feeling of being "normal".  
  
Guilt. He was guilty because deep down he knew that if he had succeeded today - if perhaps Kakkarot had not broken down and cried.. if he'd managed to kill that beautiful bastard - he would have eventually abandoned regret. He was terribly good at that sort of thing. He was undeserving of Kakkarot's love because he knew what he was capable of - the thing Kakkarot detested the most. 'But he knew that,' some part of him chided his worry, 'and he chose you anyway. He wants you despite of what you are.'  
  
He couldn't help it; he questioned why. However, he knew there was no real answer. 'Perhaps', he shyly thought, as if the notion would harm him if it somehow escaped his head, 'He feels for me the same way I do for him. I know I should not love him. There is no real reason to, but I do.' With a twist of his gut he reprimanded himself, 'But I've done nothing but bring pain to this relationship. When have I ever given him something in return for what he's done for me?'  
  
The memories came swiftly and strongly: the smell of dark, delicious smoke; hands and lips kissing and teasing his hot skin; burning, black eyes; the orgasmic sensation of Kakkarot inside of him...  
  
Yesss... He'd given his innocence to the innocent. He could please Kakkarot.  
  
Vegeta's raised his gaze and saw the black-haired man peering at him in concern. He let out a snort of a chuckle, though he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he knew it'd cause the other to smile in return, which he did. Maybe it was because he was nervous. Without a word, he began to fly towards his house. Well, their house, he supposed.  
  
How would he please Kakkarot? Well, obviously, he'd be doing so in bed, but, he thought in embarrassment, what kind of lover did Kakkarot like? What turned Kakkarot on the most? Vegeta didn't like it when people were quiet, mousy, and bashful when he wanted something. How had Kakkarot handled his rejection and resistance the previous night? It must've been so frustrating.  
  
'Be bold,' he told himself, 'Confident. In control.' A surge ran through him like a live wire; it was a brief spark of arousal. The idea of him being bold, confident, and in control seemed much more thrilling than his diminutive stature of last night. If it was one thing he'd learned from his romp with Kakkarot, it was that sex was _not_ a horrible thing. He had known it could be - had known of the atrocities one person could do to another sexually - but now he knew that it could also be something.. he didn't even have the word for it so he settled for nice.. something _nice_ between two people.  
  
Okay, so he knew what he was going to do, so now how was he going to do it? He had to formulate a plan so he could actually follow through with his intentions. How about this - his mind conjured an image which played out as a movie as he narrated - we walk into the house, I walk back into the bedroom, turn around and throw him on the bed.  
  
It left him feeling a little clueless though. What would he do next? Strip and pounce? Pounce and strip? Nnh! This was not easy. Okay, how about this..we walk into the house and I just turn around and kiss him. Huh..but where to go from there? Damnit! How could Kakkarot do it so simply!? There were so many options and already he could see the house peeking out of the trees up ahead.  
  
Alright, we get in, I hit him in the stomach, then drag him into the bedroom.. No! Too violent. Kakkarot wouldn't appreciate it.  
  
Fine, we get in and I invite him for a shower? Hey, yeah. That may work. I mean, we're all dirty from our fight anyways. Okay. I'll try this one and we'll see what happens.  
  
The rest of the flight continued in silence and, as they touched down, Vegeta put a smirk on his face. Bold, confident, and in control. Yes, he could do this. He just had to view it a bit differently. This wasn't sex it was... war. Which is almost as equally arousing, he kidded himself. He opened the door and kept walking on. After he heard the door shut, Vegeta called out, "Time for a shower, wouldn't you say?" Bold. Confident. In control. Once they were in the bedroom, the prince instantly tugged off his shirt and tossed it on the floor. His pants and boots quickly followed and he disappeared into the bathroom.  
  
Vegeta counted till five and then swung himself around the door frame so he could peek out into the bedroom where Goku was standing there awkwardly. "Well, what are you waiting for?" the elder barked, "We don't have an unlimited supply of hot water, you know.." He left it at that as he knew it was plenty. The brunette turned on the water so it could warm up, and, sure enough, Kakkarot bounded in only moments later, naked. He tried to pretend so hard that he wasn't bothered by his nudity in front of the other man, but he couldn't meet the younger's eyes. Instead, he pretended to be getting the supplies ready - shampoo, conditioner, a bar of soap, pouf - and checking the temperature of the water. C'mon... he felt himself silently pleading now, Bold.. Confident...  
  
He somehow resisted the urge to punch Kakkarot when the taller Saijin touched him. It was an automatic reaction when his nerves were frayed, but he knew he could not afford to harm the third class again. With a shaky breath, he also resisted the urge to look at him. He was blushing and was aware of it, and he wouldn't be able to keep up his facade of bravado if he showed his face now. Fingers splayed across his back and rubbed the tense muscles in an attempt to relax the prince. Then, they pulled back to their tips and traced feathery light patterns on his back. Slowly, Goku moved downwards till Vegeta interrupted him by stepping away. "The shower's ready," he announced a bit more loudly than normal.  
  
The shower was slow, leisurely, and only vaguely erotic. Vegeta concentrated on making himself as clean as a whistle. In fact, he became so focused on washing himself, he forgot Kakkarot was with him until the black-haired man touched him. He jumped at the touch, but relaxed as he felt fingers thread through his hair, apparently lathering shampoo. His head tipped back and he let his throat rumble its approval. Goku worked it in and then rinsed it out completely before applying the conditioner in the same manner. When he disengaged, the prince turned and looked up at him, thinking, 'This is..my lover.'  
  
Bold.  
He reached up and pulled the other Saijin into the spray, then he moved behind him to return the favor. He worked the shampoo till suds dripped from the ebony locks. He then lightly nudged Goku's head under the shower head to rinse it out. Vegeta also repeated the process for conditioner, and there after stepped back to open the shower door.  
  
Confident..  
Having second thoughts, the prince turned back to Goku who was looking at him curiously. With a smile, Vegeta tipped his head, but this time to kiss the taller man. It was quick, but the brunette was reeling with pride that he'd done it and that he had initiated it.  
  
In Control...  
He smirked to himself. He was highly satisfied with his performance so far, and he had no doubt that he would please Kakkarot immensely. Abruptly, however, he halted his exit from the steamy chamber. It was due to a careful hand gripping his tail. "You forgot this," Goku practically breathed into his ear. Vegeta hesitated, but he finally looked over his shoulder.  
  
"How..forgetful of me," he replied, suddenly realizing what little breath was in his lungs. He too spoke barely above a whisper. Then, Goku smiled at him, but it looked far from his normal innocent quirk.  
  
For the second time within twenty-four hours, Goku bestowed Heaven upon the sinner. Vegeta hissed as fingers gingerly raked their nails through his fur, lightly scraping the skin beneath. A dynamic shudder raced up his spine and skipped his head and went right for the neck, telling his throat to rumble without any dignity. Oh, he could have resisted like he had before. He could have willed the pleasure down and dwindled the intensity of the touch. Perhaps, he had denied himself for too long. His tail had known of abuse too many times for him to not become wary of it in others' hands. Here though, there were no worries. There were only dexterous hands smoothing, ruffling, washing, and _teasing_ the appendage. God, how they teased! Had they not exploited his weakness enough to figure out the most sensitive of areas? Yet, the hands moved diligently and evenly, passing over the tail with infinite care and no bias.  
  
Vegeta silently cursed the younger man. Could he not just give him what he desired? Already, the breezy touches had pulsated into his groin, and his erection stood waiting for attention. He nearly growled in frustration when he forced himself to breathe and calm down. 'This is a time for Kakkarot,' he berated himself, 'Stop thinking so selfishly.' Bitterly, he attempted to ignore the final minutes of the washing of the tail, and they were all in vain.  
  
As soon as the fingers had released him, the brunette opened the shower door, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around himself. It could not conceal too much, and Goku's ministrations were to blame. He opted then to quickly dry himself and let it be done with. Working with determination, it only took a few seconds for the task to be over with, and then he came to a startling conclusion. _What was he going to do now?_  
  
Bold! Confident! In Control! He repeated the words like a mantra in his head. He was the Prince of Saijins! He was a Super Saijin!  
  
Shrugging off the stark rush of doubt, he casually turned and walked into the bedroom. 'Just relax,' he told himself, and then he took it literally. He hopped onto the bed and put his hands behind his head. The prince merely breathed. As he did, his worries seemed to evaporate. He was warm, comfortable, and content; although, the arousal was vaguely an irritation of sorts. It hardly mattered as he closed his eyes and let simple thoughts enter his head - simple, concise, and previously unthinkable. 'I am worth something,' he thought with pride, 'Kakkarot loves me. I am worth something.'  
  
Vegeta's eyes instantly snapped open as he he was straddled, "Kakkarot, what-"  
  
Goku interrupted him, bringing a finger to his lips, "Please, Vegeta.."  
  
The brunette looked into his eyes, holding a look of concentration as if he was trying to decipher what was going on inside of Goku's mind.  
  
He finally gave a nod, reaching up to brush black bangs away from his eyes, "Okay." This wasn't what he had planned, but he would not go against the younger's suggestion. If he did as requested, he could please Kakkarot, and this was what this night was truly about.  
  
Goku leaned against the open palm while purring softly at the touch, and he gave a pathetic mewl as the hand retreated. Vegeta rested comfortably, lounging under the larger man as if he was just waiting for something to happen.  
  
Goku smirked a bit before dipping his head and capturing Vegeta's lips with his own. Vegeta immediately responded, to Goku's shock and joy. Goku pressed himself fully against the smaller body as his tongue gently dueled with his prince's, not letting anything distract him. He pulled back to start trailing kisses down the prince's jaw towards his ear, but abruptly, he pulled back. "I want a kiss," he announced, then pointed, "Right here."  
  
Vegeta smirked and sat up, "You're such a brat." Regardless, Vegeta planted a light kiss on the jaw he'd broken earlier, but stopped, and released a shaky breath against the black-haired man's skin. Goku looked at him in curiosity, but decided not to move before he figured out the prince's new intentions.  
  
_Bold._  
  
Testingly, Vegeta nipped at the exposed neck, listening intently to the content sounds it ripped from Goku. Trembling hands began to lightly rub against his sides, and Goku simply tipped his head in one direction. He began purring again as the hands quested across his muscles, slowly rising up to his collarbones before pulling back. Vegeta dragged his fingertips over the exposed chest and abdomen, his gaze focused. Goku merely watched, steadying himself as Vegeta explored every dip and curve. He smoothed his palms, massaging lightly up to Goku's shoulders before drawing back down until they slowed and eventually stopped at his waist.  
  
_Confident.._  
  
He watched the prince intensely, wondering what course of action Vegeta was going to take next. The prince's face flushed hotly, but he ignored it, instead moving to grasp Goku's swollen erection. The black-haired Saijin took a deep breath, almost hissing at the contact, but he relaxed himself, letting Vegeta do as he wished. The brunette stroked the member, his fingers gently caressing, noting different reactions, the texture, the temperature, and, inadvertently, the scent.  
  
He smiled as he inhaled the spicy, musky scent of the other Saijin. It was pleasant and stimulating, and taking the encouragment from the noises Goku was making, he brought his other hand up to experiment. The taller man's eyes slitted and he found himself purring once more in response to the light touches. Feeling particularly daring, Vegeta let his one hand venture lower, gauging responses as he very carefully cupped and rolled the two sacs presented. In less than a minute, Goku was giggling, and then pleading, "Ah, Vegeta! Please stop, that tickles!"  
  
"What? This?" the prince asked, repeating his actions.  
  
Goku tossed his head back, restraining his laughter, "Yes!" Vegeta smirked and let both of his hands work their magic. Goku gasped and flopped backwards rather comically. "That wasn't nice," Goku said with a grin as he flipped himself around.  
  
Vegeta smirked at him before taunting, "I just want to know all your weaknesses."  
  
Goku raised an eyebrow again before kissing him briefly, "And what other weaknesses do I have?" Vegeta leaned in, securing the distance between them once more.  
  
_In Control..._  
  
He instigated a kiss, breaking it barely to murmur a reply, "It seems to me you have this thing for.." He trailed off, letting his tongue twist and twine with Goku's. The taller man broke contact when something undoubtingly _furry_ coiled around his arousal and squeezed. "...my tail," Vegeta finally concluded his sentence with a small, prideful chuckle.  
  
A low moan rose out of the back of his throat as Vegeta strategically tightened certain areas of his tail in a pattern. As the pace increased, Goku was soon convinced that he could, and would, very easily reach a climax within a few minutes, so he didn't hesitate to carefully remove the tail from his throbbing manhood. When he felt the tail within his grasp, Goku decided to not let it go. Instead, he felt the urge to sweetly torture the older man, and he began to pet the appendage. He listened with satisfaction as the smaller Saijin first gasped, then whimpered. "Ah....aaaahhh..! Please..not...not my tail," Vegeta said with his face contorted, and his hips twitching as his nerves jolted.  
  
"Why not?" Goku asked too innocently as his fingers ran through the fur.  
  
Vegeta tossed, very nearly bucking the third class off of him, "Be-because..you've done enough damAGE!"  
  
Goku grinned mischievously as he dipped his head, nuzzling his face against the brown fuzz as he observed, "I won't hurt you."  
  
Vegeta grit his teeth and fisted his hands into the sheets as he spoke breathlessly, "That's not the point.."  
  
Goku met his gaze as he continued his ministrations, "What is the point..._phu Jakaht_?" The last words spoken in a husky whisper.  
  
Vegeta's speech was completely obliterated as Goku's mouth surrounded the tip and began to lightly suck. The prince wanted to curl up, possibly pull away from the intensity, but a strong muscular body had him pinned down. Instead, he closed his eyes and released a low, keening moan. Very cautiously, Goku held onto the tail with his teeth to allow his hands the ability to roam.  
  
They glided over the beautiful form of his prince. He swirled his fingers before following the path he'd taken the previous night. Gasping and writhing, Vegeta was able to choke out an explanation, "Tails..sensitive...lovers and family only..touch...that's..why...last night...I'ssss angry.." Goku kneaded the tense muscles while rumbling a "mm hmm" around the furry appendage. With a low moan, Vegeta whispered, "Kakkarot..." The sound of his Saijin name on Vegeta's lips was bliss, and with an approving noise he slid his hands down to Vegeta's waist and smoothed over the hips.  
  
Goku decided, finally, to release Vegeta's tail. The prince gave a small sigh and closed his eyes, his tail laying lazily over Goku's arm, where the end twitched from the after-shock from such horribly wonderful sensations. However, the brunette did not have a long time to rest as a hand wrapped around his erection and began to pump slowly. He moaned softly at the easy tugs and touches. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, his hands clutched the younger's shoulders.  
  
His eyes snapped open when he abruptly felt something else, something he did not expect. He looked up at Goku who now had his eyes closed, though his eyebrows were knit in concentration. He opened his mouth to question the younger man when he felt weight descend upon him. He tossed his head back as he was taken into Goku, deeper and deeper till he completely filled him.  
  
Finally, after a moment, Vegeta found his voice, "Kakkarot..What..? Why..?" Goku opened his eyes and smiled down at him as his shaking hands clasped onto Vegeta's. It was obvious he was in pain, despite what he did to act as if he was not. After a few minutes, however, the prince did notice that his facial features relaxed, and he decided to ask him again.  
  
As he opened his mouth, it seemed that that was the precise time Goku thought it best to move, and he grasped Vegeta's hands and pulled them up his thighs and to his hips. He made Vegeta hold him, and then, he dropped his own hands. Vegeta breathed deeply, understanding that his was an act of submission. For some reason, it felt like a heavy burdon had been lifted, and experimentally, he pulled back and carefully thrust. Goku released a small whine, letting his eyelids close half-way. Vegeta paused to gain his bearings, soaking in all the effects of the new pleasure he experienced.  
  
As the prince began a slow, yet steady, pace, Goku found himself wondering if this was exactly what Vegeta had felt last night, and if so, he could begin to understand why he had been exhausted. Personally, Goku had not had sex in quite awhile, considering Chi-chi's strictness in regards to it, so even though he probably could've gone another round or three, he had been tired as well. Another thrust brought him out of his reverie with a groan, as he noticed it was particularly harder than the previous. A tail coiled around his waist and supported his back as Goku arced sharply. He heaved for air then, falling forward, his forearms catching him as he whimpered.  
  
The pace slowed as soft lips kissed the side of his face, and Goku lifted his head to look into his prince's eyes. He closed his briefly, trying to steady himself as Vegeta leaned up to kiss him. He opened up immediately, melting against the slighter body beneath him, and threading his fingers in the dark brown strands presented. Vegeta's warm tongue slid between his teeth and explored his mouth with leisurely deliberation, causing a purr to arise. The tail around his waist uncurled itself and began caressing up and down Goku's back, paying special attention to the spine. Slowly, the pace increased back to the speed it had been at before, and Goku was very impressed by Vegeta's display of restraint.  
  
In the same regard, however, Vegeta was finding it more and more difficult to hold back. This wasn't anything like he'd ever experienced, as last night he had no semblance of control. Goku had given him the ability to do what he wished, but at the same time, he did not want to hurt the black-haired Saijin, not when he had, and was, sacrificing so much for him. No, Goku deserved so much more, but he just couldn't offer it to him.  
  
His thoughts were broken as Goku whipped his head back and moaned loudly. Vegeta purred at the beautiful image and nipped at the exposed neck, rocking his hips a bit faster than before. Even though he was the dominant partner, he was still effected tremendously, and he felt his vocal cords acting on their own. His thumbs smoothed over Goku's hips as he slowed the pace again. Goku raised an eyebrow slightly, "..Ve..Vegeta?"  
  
The elder smirked softly before he whispered back, "..I want to..take it slow..." His hands ventured around to Goku's back, until he encompassed him, then, while holding him, he lifted himself up into a sitting position. Goku arced again, his arms wrapping around Vegeta's neck, his fingers twining into his vertical hair.  
  
He felt the younger man's legs hook around his waist, and his hold on Goku's hips was abandoned for the leverage the creamy thighs presented. He was stunned by the way this felt, the ecstasy of being sheathed in the body of the one he cared so much for. The instinctual motion of this coupling which meant much more than simple physical pleasure. Goku had never once thought that being on the receiving end of such an intimate act could cause such intense rapture, but as he was gloriously filled again and again he could barely hold back the moans that wished to burst forth from his throat. He knew the struggle was useless, and he would soon lose, but it mattered little to him as his prince kissed him gently.  
  
He would never have guessed the brunette to be such a kind and tender creature, but it did appear that his first hypothesis about him was correct. Even Vegeta had a "good" side. Even Vegeta had a heart. He knew this, of course, for months now, but he still did not expect the careful deliberation and consideration that Vegeta was giving him.  
  
Goku opened his eyes, not at all realizing he had closed them, as he felt Vegeta's hot breath against his ear. He nuzzled the other Saijin to the best of his ability, listening intently to the small moans that tickled his skin. The tail that was running across his back earlier was now swaying in the air behind Vegeta. Goku reached out and grabbed the end, ruffling the fur with his fingertips. Vegeta hissed sharply, thrusting up hard from the sudden onslaught, the gasp fading to a moan that crescendoed to a near scream. The rough buck didn't cause Goku to go sightless, but it did succeed in making him speechless.  
  
He was close now, as was Vegeta, he could tell with every fiber of his being. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of his lover. Compelled, he nuzzled the side of Vegeta's face, brushing his nose against the other's. In response, he was met with a kiss, muffling any cry either of them released. Their bodies were slick with perspiration - pheromones battling pheromones as the prince rocked his hips, smoothing his hands over Goku's silky skin.  
  
Hesitantly, the younger let the tail go in exchange for a secure hold on the brunette as the pace increased suddenly. Vegeta was screaming with his eyes closed and his face flushed with pleasure. The freed tail coiled around the other Saijin, winding tightly and securely. Goku tossed his head, chanting his lover's name as he felt the impending climax. His body trembled seconds before, his mouth moving but no words coming out, and then, finally, intense, over-powering pleasure from his orgasm. His voice called out to his prince as he clung to him, "VEGETAAA!"  
  
Vegeta moaned in his native tongue, gasping loudly. He cried out, throwing his head back as his orgasm blinded him, "KAKKAROT!!!" He clung to Goku as he pulsed, baring his mind, telling his love with emotions in a vague hope that the younger Saijin would understand. Exhaustion crept up on them both, and they fell back onto the mattress together, panting hard, still sweating.  
  
After a minute, Goku groaned softly and managed to get his legs free. With that done, he lifted himself off of the prince only to settle himself into a more comfortable position. He purred quietly as he lay his head on Vegeta's chest, basking in the afterglow. Vegeta lifted a hand and ran it through the dark, slightly damp, spikes to pet him softly. The black-haired Saijin tipped his head up, lightly kissing him. The prince smiled in response.  
  
"I love you," Goku told him.  
  
"I know," Vegeta smirked.  
  
**SAIJIN SAYINGS: A List of Made-Up Words and Phrases This Chapter and Their Meanings**  
_phu Jakaht_- "my prince"  
  
A pouf is small, plastic, net-like ball. Rumor has it that it's also called a "bath sponge" even though it looks nothing like a sponge. Its primary function is to be lathered with soap so you can wash yourself. It has a loop at one end so you can conveniently hang it in the shower. Everyone has probably seen them, but it's one of those things that you have no idea what they're called because it's so common it's easily overlooked. I would like to take the time now to thank Target for having a picture of a pouf on their website so I could find the name of pouf. Thank you, Target.  
  
P.S. End part one. 


	18. Something Wicked This Way Comes

A/N: Well, you can blame chibivegeta. The bastard made me do it. I didn't want to, but he's a slave driver, what can I say? And why does fanfiction dot net remove the double space after a period? Why does it remove astericks? Why must the formatting continue to degrade? The world may never know. At least I can blame my mistakes on someone else now, haha.

**Pandora's Box: Part 2 - Chapter 1**  
aka **Something Wicked This Way Comes**

_"I see magic in your eyes/  
I hear the magic in your sighs/  
Just when I think I'm gonna get away/  
I hear those words that you always say/_

_Abra-abra-cadabra/  
I want to reach out and grab ya/  
Abra-abra-cadabra/  
Abracadabra"_  
-Steve Miller Band "Abracadabra"

He sighed deeply as he leaned over the table with his chin resting in the palm of his hand. He chewed the end of a standard Bic pen absentmindedly while staring intently at the paper below him. It seemed to be mocking him. He sighed again and rubbed his temple with his index and middle finger. A growl was steadily rising in his throat so he flipped his grip on the pen and picked up his glass nearby. Taking a sip of coffee to calm his nerves, he wracked his brain to figure out the solution. He was on the edge of his patience, and, swallowing his pride, he called out, "Hey, Kakkarot!"

From a distance, he heard the other Saijin call back from the depths of the house, "What is it?"

"What's a fifteen letter word for a literary preppy?"

"What?"

A voice behind him interrupted the conversion, "Do you two really have to shout across the entire house?"

Vegeta spun in his chair, rested his arm on the back, and narrowed his eyes, "Yes. Now, what are you doing? Don't you have to go to school?"

Gohan shifted nervously and headed towards the cupboards while responding with, "A fifteen letter word for a literary prep?"

Vegeta glanced down at the crossword puzzle, "It says preppy, and you didn't answer my question, which means that you're looking for trouble. Gohan-"

The young teenager fidgeted as he pulled out a bowl for cereal, "Hey - number one - I have everything taken care of. I make straight A's so it doesn't really matter if I skip, and - TWO - you're not my parent so I don't really have to listen to you."

Vegeta's lips curled back into a snarl and he snapped the pen clean in two, spilling ink all over the table and his hands, "One - it does matter. Your absences can cause you to lose credit which means _your mother_ will be calling and screeching in _my ear_. And - TWO - I don't care what importance you place on blood relation. I can kick your ass from here to Hell and back so I suggest you heed my.. requests."

The black-haired teen poured himself a good heaping bowl of Lucky Charms, "You wouldn't kick my ass; you'd upset dad."

The prince, after making sure the ink wasn't running anywhere else, got up and headed towards the sink, "He'd get over it."

Gohan took out the milk and added it to his sugar concoction, "No, he wouldn't, and then you wouldn't get laid."

Vegeta, being caught off-guard, blushed profusely as he scrubbed to get the black mess off, "Quiet, brat!"

Gohan took a seat calmly where he proceeded to neatly shovel food into his mouth, "Take your own advice! I can hear you in the basement." Vegeta grit his teeth and tried very hard to conjure a good response, except his brain seemed to not want to function. Gohan continued as he examined the back of the cereal box, "God, if we had any neighbors you'd wake them up with all the screaming you do. It's embarrassing."

The prince searched frantically for a reply, "Crhyuikotlhn!"

Gohan shot him a glance over the shoulder, one of his eyebrows raised in slight curiosity, "Creeookotin? That's a new one. Do you make this stuff up off of the top of your head?"

"It's crhyuikotlhn, and it's a curse word from the Larzoni race!"

"Wow, how cool, a curse word in a language that no one knows but you. Makes a lot of sense to use it."

"Fuck you, you little bastard! How's that?"

A sudden shout erupted from the distance again, except this time it held a mix of shock and frustration, "VEGETA!"

Gohan chuckled as he recognized that tone of voice, and was glad he was not on the receiving end. He quickly finished his breakfast and set the dirty dish in the sink, "Now you're gonna get it. What'd you do?"

Vegeta cuffed him over the head, then pointed a finger at him, "Don't start! We'll finish this another time, you hear?"

Goku's voice came louder, "Vegetaaaah!" Gohan laughed at the perturbed look on the prince's face, and he gave him a swift hug. He shouted a good-bye to his father before grabbing his book bag and leaving. As the young man departed, Vegeta took a dish cloth and dried his hands, wondering what he could of done to irk his lover so badly. They hadn't fought seriously in a long time.

Goku came around the corner, eyes instantly locking on the form of the brunette. He didn't hesitate to approach the older man, his face contorted in agitation. "Vegeta, would you like to tell me what this is?" he asked entirely too calm as he handed some piece of fabric to the prince.

Vegeta took it and looked it over. He appeared completely confused and clueless as to what it exactly was, "It looks... kind of like that Polo sweater of yours."

Goku snatched it back, waving it in the air, "Correction! It _was_ that Polo sweater of mine! Everything you could possibly do wrong with laundry, you did! I don't know how you managed to mess it up more than I could possibly imagine, but you did!"

"Stop yelling! It's only clothes for fuck's sake!"

"You mixed darks with lights, used hot water, added too much soap, too much fabric softener, and definitely TOO MUCH BLEACH! You threw in all the types together, wool, cotton, silk.. it didn't seem to matter to you!"

"Well, frankly," Vegeta said, folding his arms, "it didn't."

Goku walked over the trash can and threw the useless top away, "Well, it will, because you're coming with me."

Vegeta tilted his head to the side, edging away from the other man a bit, "What do you mean?"

Goku smiled suddenly and wrapped an arm around Vegeta's shoulder, "We're going clothes shopping."

-

"I'm not really mad at you, ok?"

"Hn. Better not be," Vegeta joked as they walked down a sidewalk. Goku's lips slowly curved into a grin as he swept his prince off his feet. Vegeta made a startled noise, his arms flailing for balance until he was held firmly against his captor. "Put me down!" the older of the two demanded, managing the best glare that he could muster.

"No, that's ok. Thanks, though," Goku said as he effortlessly carried Vegeta, "I very much enjoy spoiling you with the privilege of not having to walk." Vegeta growled lowly in displeasure. He did not like people doing things for him when he was perfectly capable of doing it himself. Kakkarot was the only one who could get away with pulling a stunt like this. Anyone else who tried to carry him would have a black eye or a bloody nose or some other form of injury.

Goku approached a set of doors that would lead them into the domain of shopping, but then he began to back up, then side strafe. Vegeta looked up at him with an quizzical expression until he heard a light click and the door began to automatically open. Goku went into the entry way and pushed the second handicap button presented, walking through the door carefully as it opened. He pulled a cart out from the line with his foot and knocked back the child safety seat with his elbow, and finally he set Vegeta into the basket. "What the Hell is the meaning of this?" Vegeta yelled, looking back at Goku as he grasped the handle and began to push.

"Shh, Vegeta, you're going to attract attention to yourself!" the younger scolded with a grin. There was that strange quirky wit again, something that had flared up since his separation with Chi-chi. With all things considered, that had gone over well.

Without being "bogged down" by his wife, Goku's attitude skyrocketed, especially since the court had ruled for joint custody. Regardless of how Goku felt about Chi-chi, he knew Gohan needed his mother, so the boy switched between their houses every other week. However, this was a guideline, and Gohan came and went as he pleased (with permission).

It took a little getting used to moving in with Vegeta, but Goku would admit that he was much happier despite the lack of well prepared food. Living with Vegeta had been a shock to the system as his idea of dinner was beef straight off the pasture. With no money of his own, what else was Vegeta to do? That's when Goku had declared himself the official cook of the household. He spent many frustrating hours over a hot stove, slaving away to get it right so there'd be something hot _and_ edible to eat. After many trial and errors, Goku finally was able to cook a decent meal so long as he put his mind to it and concentrated.

Other changes occurred too, with the house being almost completely remodeled, with a room added to accommodate the extra person living there part-time. A basement particularly, had been the newest addition, and it was Gohan's room with all his decorations that he picked out.

The boy, too, had changed. Gohan wasn't as quiet and subdued as he was in his childhood. He was still very kind, generous, and a complete dork, but he had gained an attitude - and Vegeta wasn't sure if it was due to his parents splitting apart, or even perhaps his influence over the teen. Another oddity was his acceptance of Vegeta, even though he loved to disobey the prince. His acceptance was rather a neutral one, however, as he believed his father was old enough and mature enough to chose his own path, but it didn't mean he had to entirely agree with it. He respected his father, so he stood next to him and tried to be as understanding as possible regardless of his personal feelings. Deep down, he did hold a soft spot for Vegeta, and at times he would let it show.

Goku slowed the cart and finally halted it next to a rack of clothing. He sifted through some shirts before pulling one out and holding it up against his chest, "What do you think, Vegeta?"

The prince glared at him for a moment before turning away, "I don't care." Goku grit his teeth slightly before he sighed and chucked the item into the cart. "Hey!" Vegeta protested, lifting the article up and off of himself, "What's the idea?"

Goku continued to browse, "Just hold onto that for me, since you don't want to give any constructive criticism and you're too lazy and unhip to pick out anything reasonable for yourself."

Vegeta shot up, tossing the t-shirt into the empty basket as he hopped down onto level ground, "Are you implying that I have no fashion sense what-so-ever?"

Goku looked over at him and grinned broadly, "I'm not implying. I'm stating."

Vegeta pushed the cart into the third class, smirking darkly, "Well, that sounds like a challenge to me. I'll meet you by the fitting room in thirty minutes."

"Why thirty? Going to get someone to help you?"

"No, you have to pick out your new wardrobes and I just want to give you enough time to do so."

"I'll be there in ten."

"You're on."

Goku smirked as he watched the brunette saunter off. He wondered exactly what was in store for him and he grinned because it was a win-win situation. If Vegeta had fashion sense then he'd look gorgeous and Goku won. If he didn't have fashion sense then Goku was right and he won. He loved it when things like this happened. He shook his head to clear it and focus his attention on the task at hand. He wasn't very picky in regards to clothing, but he wanted wardrobes that Vegeta wouldn't think were hideous. Rather indifferent to the process, he tossed a heap of clothes into the basket. While switching to a different aisle, he bumped into a man with his cart. "Excuse me!" Goku apologized, moving out of the way, "Are you okay?"

The man nodded affirmative, "Just fine. How are you doing today? Are you finding everything alright?" Goku realized that it was an employee and his eyes shot down and noted the name badge being proudly displayed above the stranger's left breast pocket.

"Doing great, Mr. Brown," the Saijin responded with a smile, "Just buying a couple new outfits since mine got ruined in the wash."

The guy continued to straighten up things around him while monitoring the store, "Please, just Kevin. I hate titles. So, what happened if you don't mind me asking? Mixed darks with lights?"

Goku laughed, shaking his head a bit, "I wish that was just the case. Not only were the darks and lights mixed, but there was too much hot water, soap, fabric softener, and bleach."

"How in the world do you do that?" the associate asked, pretty astounded that someone could mess up laundry that bad.

The black-haired man grinned as he pulled another pair of jeans off the rack and threw them onto his rapidly growing pile of items to purchase, "It wasn't me. It was my inept boyfriend." He couldn't help it - he laughed. If only Vegeta had heard him being referred to in such a way... "Yeah, he'd never done laundry before in his life, so I can't really blame him," Goku finished, still pretty amused over the "boyfriend" bit.

"I'm just curious how one goes through years of their life and not learn to do laundry," Kevin commented in astonishment.

"It's kind of complicated to explain, and if I told you, you wouldn't believe me," Goku chuckled more to himself. Before the conversation got out of hand, Goku returned it to a state of small talk as he shopped. Finally, he decided enough time had passed. Saying good-bye to the kind employee, Goku took his heap of clothes towards the fitting room.

He was only mildly surprised that he didn't see Vegeta waiting for him. He shook his head and decided to go on inside because he had a pile of clothes to try on anyway. He parked the cart, did the whole "count the amount of clothes" bit, and stepped inside. He turned the corner, just out of sight, and he instantly dropped everything that he was carrying.

Vegeta stood in front of the full body mirror with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Goku slowly stepped towards him as if in a trance, and all at once he realized how delicious black looked on his lover. A black cargo vest hung open, exposing the ebony mesh shirt underneath that clung to Vegeta like a second skin. His eyes slowly raked down the prince's frame - admiring the curves of the chest, then the stomach, and finally moving to appreciate the tight raven-colored jeans that hugged the smaller Saijin. A simple black belt with a silver buckle, although unnecessary, added to the effect. Boots, military style, laced and tied perfectly seemed to match with the rest of the ensemble. Finally, to top it all off, a simple pair of sunglasses rested across the bridge of Vegeta's nose, tinted dark green.

Goku found himself taking deep breaths as his pants got significantly tighter. His lips pulled back into a content, pleased smirk as a dark purr rumbled from his chest. Vegeta raised an eyebrow, his smug expression melting off of his face to form an apprehensive look. Rushing forward, Goku first slammed the brunette into the mirror before hooking his arms around the lithe form and pulling them into the nearest stall. Kicking the door shut, Goku pinned Vegeta against the nearest solid object and kissed the side of his face. "Kakkarot!" Vegeta protested, pushing at the larger man's figure, "What is the meaning of this?"

Teeth and lips gently nipped at the prince's ear, "Mmm.. Vegeta you look so good.."

The prince couldn't help it - he shuddered as his lover kindled a fire within him. Damn him. He was way too good at this seduction thing.

His eyes were half-lidded as the black-haired man expertly teased his ear and neck. His pants, too, grew uncomfortable. Goku's left hand began to wander, rubbing down Vegeta's side to rise up and help shrug off the vest. Tipping the prince's head, the younger kissed his face gently, loving the tint of red that crossed the bridge of Vegeta's nose. Smiling devilishly, he let his hand wander lower till it stroked the bulge presenting itself.

"Ah! Kkchhhsss..." Vegeta hissed, his hand grasping the other man's forearm in surprise. Suddenly snapping out of it, he managed to cry out, "Are you crazy?"

"Absolutely bonkers," Goku agreed as his hands rapidly worked to undo the belt, "And Vegeta? I know it's hard for you, but please try to be quiet." He nuzzled the shorter man's face before nuzzling lower extremities of the prince's body.

Gasping, Vegeta exclaimed, "You freak!"

"Shh," Goku gently pressed a finger to the brunette's lips, "You know I am."

-

Asking Vegeta to be quiet was like asking for the world to stop turning. Unless some cataclysmic event occurred, it was highly unlikely either scenario would actually occur. Perhaps sensing this, the fitting room attendant refused to enter and investigate the sounds emitting from within. Either way, the girl fabricated excuses for the noises the Saijins produced. "Someone's got.. a migraine," she said in response to a female customer's inquiry. "I think the guy is.. mentally ill," she whispered to Kevin as to not cause a scene. Feeling sorry for this "handicapped" gentleman, Kevin merely nodded and walked away. However, none of this could prepare her for what was to come.

A hooded figure approached her desk. His or her face was shrouded by the downcast angle. He or she turned for the men's fitting room and the attendant called out, "Hey! I can't let you in unless you're trying something on." The hooded character, seemingly male, calmly located the nearest article of clothing - a woman's dress - and continued towards the men's fitting room. "But it's full in there!" the girl exclaimed as the the two Saijins became particularly loud.

A hand pulled back the hood as the man spoke calmly, "I sense only two kis. I am going in now."

As he stepped inside, the noise level crescendoed to screaming point where it abruptly ended.

-

Goku had never made love in a fitting room before, but he found the experience highly enjoyable. He gave Vegeta gentle kisses over his face while the prince attempted to catch his breath. Finally, Vegeta spoke, "Would you stop that? You get so mushy I almost expect you to grow tits."

With a chuckling purr, Goku replied, "Always the romantic.." However, he ignored the request and kept touching and kissing Vegeta softly. While playfully nipping at the brunette's ear, Goku sighed and murmured, "By the way.. you win. You have fashion sense."

Satisfied - in more ways than one - Vegeta lightly pushed against the taller man, "Alright, already. Just get dressed." A few more stray kisses crossed the prince's face before Goku managed to get to his feet. Giggling from the europhic afterglow, Goku swung open the stall door to retrieve his strewn clothing. As he entered the aisle, he immediately jumped back in surprise.

Peeking out from inside the stall, Goku called out, "Sorry, we didn't know anyone else was in here."

Vegeta, mortified, looked at the back of his lover's head and said, "_What?_" He peered his head cautiously around to see who Kakkarot was talking to. The stranger wasn't human. Instantly, Vegeta's expression and body language changed. His tail curled around his waist and he placed a hand firmly on Goku's bicep.

Goku looked from the hold the prince had on him to the prince himself. "Calm down," he said quietly as he was more alarmed with Vegeta's state than that of the presence of the alien.

"I am calm," Vegeta responded in defense.

"Oh, are you?" Goku countered, "Why don't you take a glance in the mirror?" Vegeta didn't like the idea of Kakkarot giving him an order, but curiosity got the best of him. A few curse words flitted across his mind as he saw what condition he was in. The fact that he was practically naked was of no concern, but the shimming gold roots of his hair was something one couldn't help but notice. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled and watched the color fade away. He was more angry at himself for the lack of self-control than of Kakkarot pointing out this fact.

Before either of the Saijins could question the visitor, he caught their attention, "Goku, we need to talk."

"Just talk?" the younger male shot back.

"Just talk," came an affirmation.

At this point, Vegeta lightly tugged on Goku's arm to bring him back inside the stall. "We'll put some clothes on," the prince announced while gathering his outfit from the mess on the floor. The Saijins dressed in verbal silence, however, they conversed briefly on a telepathic level. '_Have you met this man before?_' Vegeta came off very strongly.

'_No. I've never met anyone like him before,_' answered Goku.

'_Hm. Your reputation precedes you, it seems._' Vegeta decided to leave it at that.

It only took a few moments before they were fully dressed once again. They left the stall and walked dignified towards the stranger. He was about as tall as Vegeta, but with a slighter build and frame. He had lavender skin, a shock of white hair in the form of a mohawk, and dark eyes full of emotion. It was unsettling because he was unreadable. Unreadable was unpredictable which left the possibility of dangerous open. Goku, unlike Vegeta, did not seem worried at all. As the black-haired man gathered his things, he invited the new-comer to join them. The offer was accepted, and he followed the Saijins out of the fitting room, through the store, and to the cash registers. While standing in the check-out line, introductions were made.

"My name is Kaioshin. You may call me Shin if you wish."

With an eyebrow raised, Goku instantly asked, "You're a god?" This definitely caught Vegeta's attention.

"Yes," Shin paused to look between the two of them, "As I'm sure you've suspected.. I am here on business instead of pleasure." This was a vague statement posing as important information. For example, Freiza had no definitive line between his work and his recreation. What was one man's business was another man's pleasure.

Vegeta, who knew this, instantly spoke up, "What _kind_ of business, 'Shin'?" The god gave him a mildly hurt look. It was as he was disappointed that Vegeta was so suspicious, and yet he was very understanding of the treatment he was receiving. Goku would have interjected at this point, but he was busy conversing with the cashier.

"Urgent," Shin answered briefly. He wished to have Goku's full attention before he furthered his explanations. Vegeta felt nervous, and when he felt nervous he felt threatened, and when he felt threatened he became impatient. As the cashier tried to neatly fold the clothing, the prince grabbed the merchandise and threw it in a bag. Goku stared mutely in shock, but the older man was not phased from his lover's expression of disbelief. Instead, he turned his back and headed out the door.

Jolting out of it, Goku literally threw some money at the cashier, grabbed a hold of Shin's shoulder, and chased after Vegeta. "Keep the change!" he shouted as they rushed after the prince. Silence was in the wake of their departure. Everyone - customers and employees alike - watched them until they disappeared from view. Then, the clerk who rung up Goku's transaction finally bent over and retrieved the money that had been carelessly flung at him. Uncrumpling the bills, he couldn't trust his eyes. Casually, he took a counterfeit bill detector pen and ran it across the money. Then he held it up to the light and felt the texture. It was true. It was real. It was five hundred dollars cash.

-

Sometimes it is inappropriate to discuss certain topics while in a leisurely atmosphere, and now was one of those times to Vegeta. Goku, Vegeta, and Shin had spent the last few minutes talking about the alien's godliness and what exactly it meant for him to be on Earth. He explained that he was one of four gods that ruled the universe. Similar to King Kai, but of even higher status, his duty was to guard the East Quadrant, but to even greater extremes than that of Goku's mentor.

"Just say it," the brunette nearly growled at Shin and the way he danced around the subject. They were sitting at an outside cafe like they were having a friendly get-together over brunch, and it didn't feel right when something tremendously serious was happening.

Shin took a breath and relented. "The whole universe is in danger of extinction," he answered flatly and without emotion.

There was a pregnant pause.

"Well," Vegeta finally broke the silence, "that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No.." Shin let his eyes cast down, "I suppose it wasn't." He allowed for a moment to pass, "It's more difficult for me to ask for help. It's embarrassing too. I am a kai who must ask mortals for help, but.." He looked up at the pair of Saijins and gave a weak smile, "I wouldn't prefer to ask any other mortals for help. Vegeta is right about you, Goku: your reputation precedes you."

Affronted, the prince jumped to his feet and shouted, "You're telepathic?" This was not something that sat well with him.

"Yes, among other things," Shin answered, "I'm sorry I eavesdropped, but I wasn't certain if you were going to be hostile towards me. Please, have a seat. We must plan for what is to come."

Goku took Vegeta's wrist, gently tugged, and spoke for the first time since Shin announced his purpose on the planet. "Vegeta," he said, "He's alright." Turning away from his significant other, he questioned the kai, "Who or what is the problem?" Vegeta composed himself, sat down, and listened intently.

"It is a combination of the two in a way - a who and a what," Shin spoke like he was reading statistics off of a paper. It probably meant that this was so important to him that he was attempting to detach himself so he wouldn't get upset. "It's difficult to describe, but to put it simply," he said, "I'm looking for Pandora's Box."

When he didn't offer any more information, Goku piped up again, "Okay. So, what is this Pandora's Box? Why is it dangerous? Why should we be looking for it?"

Shin took another deep breath and began truly explaining, "Many centuries ago there was a powerful magician in this quadrant named Bibidi. Bibidi was a selfish, gluttonous man who had a thirst for conquest. Over the years, however, his body became more frail, so he was becoming incapable of not only combating for victory and glory, but also he was losing the ability to defend himself. Due to this, Bibidi dedicated all of his time into the making of his greatest creation - something that would be an impenetrable shield of protection and an unbreakable weapon of destruction. He succeeded, and he named his creation Buu.

Buu is one of the most powerful creatures in the universe to date. As a team, Bibidi and Buu were a terrible force beyond anything any of the kais had ever encountered or known. Unable to merely watch as planet after planet was being destroyed, Dai the Grand Kai confronted them and battled. He found Buu's abilities were numerous and strange. Any damage he sustains, even a lost body part, will regenerate within seconds. He can manipulate his body - shrink and stretch it at will in any shape he wishes. The most bizarre abilities stem from the magic inherent within him. Buu can transform people into other objects, with candy as his preference.

Dai recognized the fact that no one was powerful enough to defeat Buu at that point. In turn, he sacrificed himself in the one way he knew to save what he had sworn to protect. Dai tricked Buu into turning him into a piece of chocolate and eating him. Because Dai was a god instead of a mortal, Buu could not digest him in the same manner. Instead, Buu absorbed him, but when he chose to do this, he did not merely kill Dai so-to-speak, but he took some of his personality, and physical, traits.

In essence, absorbing Dai actually made Buu weaker. That's when myself and the other kais intervened. We were completely unaware of Dai's plan, and were naturally outraged at his loss. With Buu dazed and confused, we should have been able to kill him easily. And we would have if not for Bibidi. He used his magic to flee from our grasp. However, both he and Buu were mortally injured from the battle. Bibidi encapsulated Buu in some type of 'egg' or 'box' - think of it as a regeneration tank if you wish - and died shortly after. The only trail that we ever received about his location was that it was somewhere in this galaxy.

Buu sitting in his box wouldn't be a problem except for one thing: Bibidi had a son named Babidi. Babidi was apparently performing some type of research all the way across the galaxy when word finally reached him that his father had died. Babidi's wish is to follow in his father's footsteps and give a rebirth to his family's legacy. However, he's run across the same problem as we have: he can't find where Buu is located."

Vegeta immediately jumped in, "So is there a connection between Pandora's Box and the box that Buu was put into?"

"Yes," Shin gave a slight nod as he continued, "They are one in the same. Just because Babidi and I cannot find Buu now doesn't mean other people have not in the past. Not long after Buu was put into his box, rumor has it that it was found by a merchant. I say rumor because we are uncertain of who exactly did find it. Anyways, rumor tells that after inspecting the box, the merchant instantly realized it was worth a great deal of money. The reason being was because Bibidi always left a trademark on his work - a special symbol which consists of the letter 'M' which stands for 'Majin'. Realizing the value of such an item, the merchant searched for the highest bidder. It has changed hand numerous times; so many times, in fact, that it impedes upon finding the current owner or location. The name of the box, I assume, has been derived from the fact that no one can open it. Why this title specifically, and not something else, I cannot say. We can only speculate. The problem is that we know Babidi is looking for the box, and he is the only person alive who knows how to open it. By now, Buu will have healed from the battle many years ago, and his power will once again be unrivaled. If we cannot find Pandora's Box before Babidi, we are doomed."

They sat in the warm sun surrounded by the soft murmur of small talk and city noise. The ice shifted in their drinks as they contemplated. Goku had been reading Shin's expressions and emotions as he spoke and felt that he was sincere. He made up his mind to help Shin in his quest. Looking over at Vegeta, Goku examined the prince's face. He wasn't frowning, but he wasn't smiling either, and his eyebrows were scrunched together in heavy thought. The black-haired man attempted to contact him mentally, but he found that this was like trying to grasp fog with your hands. He didn't dare try to prod any further because Vegeta would note it and probably take it the wrong way. Vegeta's heavily disliked anything that came in the way between himself and his privacy.

"What's the significance of Majin?" Vegeta surprised them by asking this question.

"What do you mean?" replied Shin.

"Why would Bibidi mark everything with 'M' for 'Majin' when he could label it 'B' for 'Bibidi'?"

"Because Majin, back then, was much more impressionable on the masses than Bibidi. Just as if you announced yourself as a Saijin instead of Vegeta. People won't recognize who you are, but they'll probably recognize what you are."

"And who were the Majin?"

"A near extinct race of magicians. Magic is as natural to them as ki is to you."

This spurred Goku's curiosity, "What's the difference between magic and ki exactly?"

Shin sat for a moment saying nothing. The Saijins could tell he was carefully formulating a response and let him take his time. "Well," he finally said, "it is similar to usage of ki, but different. When you use your ki, you're using energy from yourself to perform various, limited acts. Magic - as in Bibidi's magic; old magic - runs on a similar concept. Magic like that was the mental, and natural, ability to assert your commands on both animate and inanimate objects. Well.. that's confusing. Let me put it to you this way: magic was an inborn trait to manipulate the outside world. While you do this through the method of channeling your ki and implementing it, magic is a concentration-taxing way of asking and willing the outcome. Am I making any sense?"

"None what-so-ever," Goku replied with a smile.

Vegeta pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation, "He means it was like an advanced form of telekinesis."

"Not exactly," Shin added, "but that's an easy way to think of it. Telekinesis is limited to the movement of objects, but magic was much more powerful."

"Because," the prince looked him in the eyes, "somewhere in the universe is a being of pure magic, and this thing doesn't die the way normal people do."

"I believe the saying goes 'you hit the nail with the hammer'?" Shin made his sentence into a question.

Laughing, Goku stood and put a hand on his shoulder, "Not exactly.. but close enough. When do we get started?"

-

After lunch, Gohan always received a short burst of adrenaline before he became sleepy. He had devised a way to keep himself from falling asleep in his lectures by taking the material and trying to apply it to something more exciting, like fighting. He entered the class room and took his seat half way back, as per usual, and waited for the teacher to arrive and class to settle. After a minute or so, Mr. Conrady came inside and promptly stared at the class.

"Excuse me, sir," he spoke to someone behind Gohan, "Could you please explain what you are doing in my classroom?" There was a sound made of thirty or so students turning their heads to see who the teacher was speaking to.

Gohan's eyes bugged out in complete surprise. The person he least expected to be there was sitting right behind him wearing a smirk.

Raising his hand, Vegeta announced, "I've come to pick up Son Gohan." Mortified, the teenager couldn't find any words to say in retaliation.

"Pardon me?" asked Mr. Conrady, "Are you his father?" This simply made Vegeta laugh, which - Gohan supposed - was better than cringing in disgust. Everyone whispered back and forth to one another about the strange man in class. Gohan never introduced his friends to Vegeta, and it wasn't that he was embarrassed about him, but he simply believed that Vegeta didn't care about the people that he hung out with.

"Fuck no, I'm not his father," Vegeta replied as he finished laughing, "Damn brat's enough responsibility as it is." Gohan was fairly certain that he'd just turned several shades of red before settling on one that simply made his face burn.

The teacher was taken aback, "Sir! We do not condone that kind of language in the classroom!"

Vegeta tipped his head to the side, "You don't? Oh." He let an awkward moment pass before saying, "Well, I hope you don't mind, I'm going to have a smoke." At this, Gohan nearly wanted to cry. His social life - he was certain - was now completely ruined.

"Sir!" the teacher had moved beyond being placid, and he voice was growing louder with desperation, "We do not allow smoking on this campus!"

Without replying, Vegeta reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes. Moving slowly and casually, he extracted one cigarette and brought it to his lips. The teacher had temporarily become mute, and merely stared at the prince while turning white with rage. Then, as if it was nothing at all, Vegeta dug out his lighter and lit the cigarette. The entire time, he never broke eye contact with Mr. Conrady. Then, he acted as if he became aware of the other students for the first time, and he gazed around the room at them. He took the cig from his lips, looked at it, then at the teenagers. Holding it up in a gesture, he said to them, "Don't smoke. It's bad for you. I smoke because I'm a dumbfuck. I smoke because I'm perfectly fine with the fact that I'm very slowly killing myself. I am fine with this because I'm a dumbfuck." The whole class uproared in laughter.

"VEGETA!" Gohan didn't realize he had shouted until after the fact. What made it worse was the silence it had brought.

"What?" the brunette replied with one eyebrow raised. The whispers began again.

Ignoring the logical and rational side of his brain, Gohan decided to ask the question, "What are you doing here? Why are you trying to take me out of class?"

Vegeta took a drag before giving his response, "You know I wouldn't pull this shit unless it was something important. Well, this is an emergency."

"What kind of emergency?" the teen asked while his heart raced with fear. Was someone hurt? Did someone die? The possibilities were endless.

"Big emergency," Vegeta spoke in his natural tones now - dark and smooth, "Like Freiza emergency."

Curse words danced over Gohan's mind and he took a deep breath to calm himself. "How long will we be gone?" he spoke like they were the only people in the room.

"Hard to say; we're on an Indiana Jones mission," Vegeta informed him as he lifted the cigarette to his lips again. Gohan found it profoundly odd for Vegeta to create an analogy by using something from pop culture. It just went to show that he'd been on Earth long enough to start talking like a native.

"Where's dad?"

"In the office convincing someone that you should be able to leave."

"Dad's getting me signed out and you came into my classroom?"

Another drag. "Yep."

It took a few seconds for Gohan to decide which outburst was best, "WHY?"

Vegeta smirked, "You should've seen the look on your face."

-

The universe - vast and full of mystery and intrigue. So interesting that all the commotion was occurring in the North Quadrant. Trouble seemed to gravitate towards power. That's why men like Goku were so important and valued. Good men who protected people from everyone including themselves. It was a shame that life wasn't black and white, and that things such as ethics were relative.

People had different priorities. Different perspectives. Different experiences and knowledge. Different truths.

Those in power would never escape the burden of choice.


	19. Premonition

**Pandora's Box: Chapter 2**  
aka **Premonition**

_"It sucked you in, it dragged you down/  
To where there is no hallowed ground/  
Where holiness is never found/_

_Paying debt to karma/  
You party for a living/  
What you take won't kill you/  
But careful what you're giving/_

_Can you feel a little love/  
Can you feel a little love/  
Dream on, dream on"_  
-Depeche Mode "Dream On"

Cool tiles were beneath his feet, and the harsh fluorescent lighting buzzed softly as it illuminated the hallway. Slowly his gaze moved up from the cracks on the floor to the open doorway. He wasn't sure why he was hesitating. He took a step and it felt like an eternity. He inspected his bare feet for a moment before pressing on. The air-conditioning felt stale and dead, but then, it always did. He hadn't traveled in space for years, but it was sort of like riding a bicycle - once you grew accustomed to it, it never left you.

His tail came out from around his waist to help keep him in balance. It felt stiff and lifeless, like a marionette in his control. His mind, however, felt thick, like it was being choked by useless information and pointless trivia. Everything seemed blurry, but the details assaulted his senses and demanded ceaseless attention. It was bright, yet infinitely darker.

The soft sound of him walking across the floor seemed intrusive. So quiet. Too quiet.

It's not so bad, he told himself, the sooner we find Buu the sooner we can go back. Something spiked within him at these words. Something deep flickered somewhere inside, and he met it with both confusion and indifference. He focused on making it down the hall and through the door.

The brush of cotton corresponded with each step he took. Standing in the threshold, his gaze fell on the form of a younger Saiyan. Black locks shined in the light, glittering like obsidian. The air tasted tangy and bitter.

Maybe he breathed too hard because Goku turned and greeted him. "Hey, Vegeta," he said with a warm smile. His own face was as blank as a mask. Kakkarot's words became hallow and vague. His lover sat before him looking puzzled, and in a rush, he felt his blood boil and his muscles bunch.

He wanted to BREAK that smile and decimate that beautiful face. He wanted to completely eradicate those eyes full of life and joy. He wanted to beat flesh, snap bones and **hear** the pain. Words came to him, in every language, and in none of them.

_Sacrifice. Power. Control. Pride._

His head swam.

"Vegeta," he became aware that he whispered his own name. At this, his mind unraveled.

_Freedom._

Seeing past the other man, his vision concentrated on what he was witnessing outside the window. His stomach curled in bitter, acidic fear and he opened his mouth to scream. Everything happened so quickly, as if snapping back from before. The ship was torn apart like a quartering execution, and pure dark enveloped him. It felt like emptiness, like tangible gravity, like limitlessness. It felt like death.

"KAKKAROT!" he called out.

"What? What is it?" Goku replied in concern, his hand on the prince's shoulder. Vegeta blinked a few times as consciousness set in. He was sweating lightly and staring at the face of his lover. Looking into those eyes, he felt the threat of his nightmare wash away.

"Nothing.." the brunette lied in embarrassment, "I was just..dreaming heavily. That's all."

"Are you sure you're ok?" the black-haired man inquired, "There's only a few things that make you scream that loud." A half-hearted smirk came to the younger's lips.

Vegeta lightly pressed on Goku's chest, pushing him into the mattress. "Yes, and you love to exploit one in particular," the prince purred darkly as he straddled the other man. He bent down and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. "I'm going to get a drink of water," he announced as he unmounted the pouting Saiyan, slid off of the bed, and quietly stalked into the bathroom. After some careful deliberation, he decided to keep the door open. He'd have less privacy in a sense, but then it wouldn't make Kakarot wonder.

The dream had unnerved him. It had effected him so profusely that he didn't want to expose Kakarot to it. He'd prefer not to explain something that the other male wouldn't understand anyways. He turned on the cold water faucet and rinsed his hands.

Why had he dreamt this? Ever since he'd been with Kakarot his days had become so peaceful and his sleep restful and calm. He cupped his hands and let the water pool in them. Then he quickly brought it to his lips and gulped it down. When he no longer felt parched, he turned the faucet off and reached for the nearest towel. Staring at himself in the mirror, he felt ashamed and frightened. _Help me.._ he thought to himself, _I was more afraid for my own life than of the notion of hurting Kakarot._ He tossed the towel onto the counter when he was through with it.

He took a deep breath and really _looked_ at himself. He stared until his face no longer looked familiar, and he watched his lips mouth his given name. That was the moment of destruction within his dream. Why? What was this feeling in the back of his head? There was nothing to compare it to, and it was terrifying. He turned the light off as he left the bathroom and he silently returned to bed.

Goku had waited up for him, to ensure that he truly was fine. Meeting those warm eyes, Vegeta felt torn. It was silly, he knew, but he was ashamed for his actions in his dream. _It didn't really happen_, he told himself as he stood beside the bed, _So why do I feel so bad?_ His fingertips strayed across his lover's forehead, gently brushing bangs to the side. He loved Kakarot more than anything he had ever held dear, but the nightmare injected a poison of doubt. He decided to let Kakarot be his antidote.

"Everything okay?" Goku asked, but is was a dark rumble with emotional undertones.

The prince said nothing. Instead, he chose to climb onto the bed and straddle the younger man once more. His lips descended to lightly caress the willing pair beneath him. He desperately needed reassurance, and intimacy spoke in volumes where words were mere drops in a bucket. Kakarot's arms encircled his waist, and he reached under Vegeta's shirt to smooth palms over the prince's back. His skin was warm; his touch - cathartic.

The foreplay was slow and leisurely. The sex itself, when it came to that, became soothing. The prince was on top, but he had decided to let Kakarot have control. The younger man had his hands on Vegeta's hips, holding him in place as he gently rotated his own. Vegeta had soon become breathless and he placed his hands on Goku's chest for support.

Warm, safe, loved... A shudder coursed through his body and his eyes began to roll back so he closed them. "Kakarot," he gasped as his skin tingled in anticipation. He felt the other man brush against his mind and it caused him to climax with an undignified shout. Another moment or so later, Goku received an orgasm of his own.

Pillow talk was non-existent. A few soft kisses were exchanged before both of them settled into comfortable positions. When Vegeta slept, his dreams were blank and his mind at ease.

---

The calendar read May 30 and they'd been gone two weeks already. Although the capsules were provided by Bulma and her family, none of the Briefs (including Zarbon) had opted to go, which was a widely accepted course of action. A small group had assembled to assist Shin, including: Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Yamcha, and - surprisingly - Android Seventeen. After his sister had tied the knot with Krillin, he decided to spare himself the pain of their sickening romance in exchange for the exploits of outer space.

At this point, the passengers' circadian rhythms were finally settling into a more natural pattern. Also, some on the initial excitement about the excursion had begun to transform into apprehension. The best thing that had happened to them so far was that Shin had a lead, and their destination was now within a few hours reach. Their target was one notorious boss from a crime syndicate in a place known as the Elclan System. Marcuso Loi, also known as "Marky the Liar," apparently engaged in shifty dealings with rare and exotic goods, and a source hinted that he handled Pandora's Box in his earlier days. Unfortunately, sources tended to hand out as much facts as as much coin was going into their pocket. Although unreliable, this tip gave the party a starting point in their intensive task.

Shin was at the table, carefully reviewing their current status as Goku was cooking breakfast. Apparently the aroma of eggs and bacon served as a wake up call because moments later the room was crowded with hungry people in various states of dress. For example, Yamcha looked as if he was still half asleep, but Gohan appeared fresh and ready for the first meal of the day. It only took another minute before Vegeta joined them, his hair damp, unruly, and wild. He took a seat at the table and idly glanced over what Shin was examining.

"Alright, chums up!" Goku soon called out, causing everyone to line up cafeteria style and consequently be served breakfast. After the group was done placating their appetites, Shin decided this was an optimal time to discuss a plan of action upon arrival. Once the table was cleared - with the exception of Vegeta's coffee cup - he spread their information sheets around for visible ease.

"The planet we'll be landing on is considered neutral territory," the god began, "which doesn't mean we'll be any safer than anywhere else." Vegeta injected a snort of amused agreement. Continuing, Shin explained the plan he had constructed, effectively using his visual aids at various points in his speech, "We'll be landing, here, on the southern continent, under the unofficial rule of Klordian-eae. The inhabitants and visiting merchants are as friendly as a pack of sirens, and they're going to trust you as far as they can throw you. So, while we're there, I'd prefer if you never mention that you're looking for Pandora's Box. This'll hurt us more than help us, and you wouldn't believe how far being vague will get you. The number one rule we should follow is to exercise caution -- don't cause trouble.

Now, after we land, we'll break into three smaller groups and proceed to search for ties to Marcuso Loi. When someone asks you why you want to see him - and they will - tell them 'Marky's business with Keichii is no business of yours.' Never tell them anything else."

"Keichii?" Vegeta instantly blurted out. He couldn't fathom why Zarbon's brat would have any involvement in their quest.

"Keichii Montasqueu," Shin answered, "A once double agent who collected, or should I more aptly say 'stole,' goods from the Cold Empire. Though his motives were.. slightly questionable at times, his sabotage weakened Freiza's control until his murder roughly twenty years ago. He was widely known for being rather vain in regards to rare treasures. Sadly, this was one of the reasons that lead to his early demise. Anyways, we'll report back to the ship at nineteen hundred. Goku, Vegeta, Gohan: You're group one. Piccolo, Yamcha, Krillin: You're group two. And Seventeen and myself shall be the last group. Any questions?"

Piccolo spoke up, "Yes. Why would Marcuso have ties with someone who has been dead for twenty years?"

Shin smirked at him, "Marky's business with Keichii is no business of yours."

Piccolo smirked back.

---

The metal container bounced off the stone wall with a clatter, spinning to a halt on the ground a few feet away. Amidst the bundle of pedestrians, it was knocked out of sight moments later. Yamcha exhaled a pent-up sigh and complained, "This is pure crap." Piccolo, unable to help himself, rolled his eyes. He felt as if he was babysitting more than saving the universe. Several hours after their arrival the trio of the two Earthlings and a Namek hadn't yielded any results, except for a former desert thief constantly making rather rude observations about their progress.

"I mean, how does he expect us to-"

"Yamcha!" Piccolo finally snapped at him, "Your negative attitude isn't adding anything constructive to our predicament. Shin split us into a group because he thought we'd work well together. He put us together because he thought we were strongest this way. To be honest, he probably doesn't expect any us to find anything today, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do our best. And it's not exactly as if we have the power, jurisdiction, or flat-out ability to harass people until they tell us about You-Know-Who's You-Know-What."

"YouKnowWho'sYouKnowWhat?" Yamcha looked completely lost. When the Namek glared at him, he suddenly realized what he meant and mumbled something that Piccolo assumed was an embarrassed apology.

Attempting to smooth over the situation, Krillin spoke up, "Yamcha, Piccolo's right. Shin put us together because he obviously thought that we could find information easier as a team. But this is isn't easy, like fighting Freiza."

"You thought fighting Freiza was easy?" Yamcha was astonished. Piccolo hit him over the back of the head for drawing attention to the group. A few people gave some curious glances and exchanged some conspiratory whispers. Rubbing the forming bruise, Yamcha clenched his teeth until he felt that were clear from potential eavesdroppers. "You call the fight with Freiza easy?" he hissed lowly.

"Compared to this.." Krillin replied, "Yeah. With Freiza we knew exactly where he was and what he was doing and why. This mission.. we can't just run off somewhere and kill someone to solve it. We have to use deductive reasoning. We have to spend time and effort into carefully manipulating people just to get a name or a place that may or may not even be right. It's like connect-the-dots except we have to find the dots first. You need a level head for this, and frankly, your attitude doesn't reflect the cunning bandit I knew and grew up with."

The other man sulked from this rebuttal, and hardly spoke until they were back on the ship at 19:00.

---

"Grhh... Pig piss and horse vomit!" Vegeta growled as he pulled off his sneakers and wrestled to remove his jacket. Gohan tried to cover up his chuckle by pretending he had a cough.

"Vegeta!" Goku exclaimed, astonished, "Just because we didn't find anything yet-"

"Shut up!" the prince snapped before his expression relaxed slightly, "Look, the sooner we get off this planet the better. I just.. don't like it here." He turned and stormed off much to the other Saiyans' bewilderment. Goku pursed his lips in irritation, but refrained from following the older man. It was obvious he needed some space to cool down, so Goku opted to start dinner with Gohan as his assistant.

Minutes later, when the water on the stove began to boil, the main hatch opened and in trudged group two. "How'd it go?" Goku called out over his shoulder as he poured noodles into the pot. Piccolo shrugged, Yamcha shook his head while heading towards the bathroom, and Krillin mumbled as he gave his response. "That good, huh?" the black-haired Saiyan sarcastically jabbed. He didn't press the point because he felt as if his group had come out on bottom in comparison. The real excitement began when they were half-way through dinner because this was when Shin and Seventeen made their entrance.

"Gentlemen!" Shin greeted them with a beaming smile. It was as if this one word put life back into the dampened spirits of the crew, and they perked up in hopes of good news. "What a delicious smelling dinner!" he concluded much to everyone's chagrin, and they promptly deflated. The god hummed to himself in between bites, apparently oblivious to the poor mood that hung around the table. When his plate was cleared, he turned his attention to the solemn faces that surrounded him, "Goodness. No luck was to be had, I assume?" Harsh silence reigned for a moment.

"So, you didn't find anything either?" Vegeta spoke slowly, his dark eyes staring intently at the deity.

"Not as such, not as such.." Shin admitted, "Seventeen and myself went shopping."

This seemed to offend Yamcha, "Shopping? While we were out there busting our asses, you went _shopping_?"

Shin merely laughed at the other man's expression. "Please, do not think me slacking off on the job," the god smiled and leaned back in his chair, "I promise you, the shopping we've done today is very beneficial to our mission."

"So, what were you looking for?" Yamcha eased off a bit and normality was restored to his voice. _I suppose it really was unreasonable of me to snap like that_, he thought to himself.

"Hookers," Seventeen answered. There was a mixed chorus of outrage and disbelief in retaliation.

Eventually, Shin calmed them down with the assurance of an explanation. "Marcuso was known for having.. 'lady friends' on a fairly consistent basis," the god told them with a hint of a blush on his cheeks, "These ladies are more prone to give out information to a handsome face. As you can see, Seventeen was a wonderful asset to have in this particular case." The android tried not to look pleased with himself, but only just. Unable to withhold it any longer, Shin announced, "We have another lead."

Silence ensued for only a second until everyone broke it at once. This time, however, Seventeen disrupted the noise by saying, "Well, a lead to our lead." Finally, a sense of order came to the group. Plans were discussed, and farewells were then passed around as they went to their quarters. Nerves were high that night, refusing to let sleep claim them easily.

"Don't get your hopes up," Vegeta warned Goku as they were climbing into bed, "This can very well be a cop-out." The younger Saiyan replied by cuddling next to his lover. Vegeta sighed in mild irritation, "Your feet are cold."

Goku smiled into the brunette's shoulder, "I know."

---

"Vegeta, do you know what a galaxy is?"

/It is..owned by Freiza/ he felt himself saying. 'Felt his hands moving as if on their own accord. 'Felt the familiarity of this type of speak. It was as if his brain and body functioned on different levels from one another. It was if they were doing a dance and his brain was two steps behind, desperately trying to catch up, but the haste was the root of his problem. His eyes finally focused and a being came into view. A tall person, but mostly skeletal, and with dark eyes like a swirling hurricane of indigo with stunning violet at the eye of the storm.

The man seemed so far away, yet he felt as if he could reach out and touch him. It was fuzzy and painful to grasp his surroundings. Inside or outside, always confined. Here, where days and nights blended and age was uncounted.

"Did you know that not even light can escape a black hole?"

This destructive force. The ultimate destructive force.

...Silence and pressure. 'Standing on the threshold of a vacuum with eyes staring, unblinking, at what he saw. His breaths were shallow and trembling. The purest of dark was swallowing all in its path. Planets were eaten, moon and satellites devoured, dust and debris absorbed and light sapped. Nothingness. And his heart beat hard in his chest. He was terrified, and for a moment, he forgot who he was. For a moment, he wanted to cry. It was like the opposite of beauty.

Then, he felt it sliding away from him, but he wasn't sure what "it" was anymore. A sensation, a memory, or a fabrication.. he couldn't discern. The prince drifted in limbo for a moment as it felt like several of his own voices vied for possession of concentration. He wasn't certain about anything anymore. He was simply tired. He just wanted to sleep or die. He just wantedHIS SCOUTER RELEASED A PLEASANT INTONE which notified him that he hadn't completed his mission yet. It sparked anger in him for his carelessness, which somehow became their audacity.

When was enough enough? Who did they think they were by living? Breathing? _Feeling?_ A white hot aura surrounded his body, burning the grass and charring the earth.

Life was war. Death was peace. He was doing them a favor. Really.

His body ached.

He imagined himself becoming impossibly old, but not because of his extended lifespan, rather because of.. something he couldn't describe. It was as if his youth was wasted, and inside this was him - old, shriveled, crippled, weak; skin with lost elasticity, muscles atrophying, and foggy, sunken eyes. These thoughts were a trigger to something he never expected. It was like being drunk, but at an extreme acceleration. His thoughts were unfocused, cluttering, and painful. _Make it stop_, he pleaded to himself, _I can't... I can't..take..._

But it happened anyways. And with clarity and lucidity.

Here were _real_ flashbacks. This wasn't reminiscing. He was living it again as if it were just now, but the now kept changing.

His fists literally crushing his enemies, the blood drenching his uniform-  
The sharp blade digging into soft tissue deep inside his chest-  
Huddled in the corner, naked, petrified-  
Freiza laughing light-heartedly, as if he'd just shared a private, pleasant joke-  
He was suspended weightlessly in thick liquid-

OH GOD, THE PAIN...

The voice of an older male screaming in desperation, "Vegeta, help me!" But the his ki was already centralized in his hand, and it didn't even take a thought to do what he did next-  
An overwhelming grief was making him break his knuckles against the wall-  
'Eating frantically as he was pressed for time, trying desperately to stop the agony his body was trying to endure. He kept telling himself _'they're animals'_ over and over in his head. But he still had to close his eyes-

WHY...

Kakarot's beautiful, smiling face.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

Vegeta awoke with a start and was greeted to the darkness of the cabin. He felt like shit - as if the worst migraine imaginable decided to double team his head with the worst hangover imaginable. With a grimace, he sat up, and then found out that wasn't a good idea and lied back down.

Minutes passed, or maybe hours. "Fuck.." he whispered as he bit back a groan. He felt nauseous. When his eyes were open they felt dry and would experience a pins and needles sensation from time to time, but when they were closed it made it seem like he was spinning continuously out of control and it took willpower to resist vomiting.

Goku eventually rolled over towards him, but Vegeta dared not say a word. The prince wasn't sure if the other man sensed him awake or not, but his lover's hand gently ran over his back. It was warm, but he didn't feel like being touched at the moment. It smoothed down his spine all the way to his tail. He winced and clenched his teeth, but otherwise made no indication that he was conscious. Apparently Goku took the hint because he merely put his arm around the brunette and left it at that.

---

When the alarm clock went off, Vegeta swore he'd just gotten to sleep. He did everything in his power to avoid everyone.

---

As Shin called attention to himself, the group settled down in order to be debriefed. "Well, now that we've all eaten and are ready to start the day," he began, obviously overlooking the fact that Vegeta was working on his fifth cup of coffee, "I'd like to take this time to discuss our lead and our plan of action. First and foremost is his name: Wohrdin Ruzf." The Prince of Saiyans spewed coffee on himself with these words and went into a coughing fit.

"Are you ok?" Goku asked, obviously concerned as he patted him on the back a few times, then handed him a stack of napkins when he began to compose himself.

Piccolo, ever the one to be insightful, instead inquired, "Do you know this guy?"

Vegeta shook his head, hoarsely replying, "I'm fine.. coffee tried to go down the wrong way..."

The god, once sure that the prince had recovered, continued, "Wohrdin is a small-time trafficker. He's a lackey, if you will, and we don't know too much about him besides the fact that, other than assisting Mr. Loi, he also worked within the Cold Empire. That, and he's apparently older. Roughly fifty to sixty years old, by Earth standards. Physically, he's short and stocky, with mottled skin and greying hair. Any questions?"

A moment of silence passed before Gohan raised his hand, "Yeah. What are the groups today?"

Shin gathered the files on the table and put them into a folder, "We're all going together for today."

---

The sun hung almost directly overhead as the crew came out of the fifth apartment complex that Wohrdin had lived in for a brief amount of time. The breeze was dull and uncomfortably warm, and caused those unfortunate enough to encounter it to become more irritable. Unable to stand it any longer, Yamcha pulled his hair back into a ponytail and contemplated cutting if off at the end of the day. He also took this time to shoot out a comment, "This guy moves more than I do.." It was met with no response as they shuffled down the sidewalk in clumps of ones and twos. Shin pulled them aside a moment later to reassert their spirits. That, and a parking lot had less loiterers.

The god spread a map of the inner city across the hood of a vehicle. "According to my calculations, we are here," he pointed to a region in the southwest corner. "And here is where we'll want to go," he tapped the intersection of two streets to the north of their current location. Piccolo inclined his head and examined the paper.

The Namek couldn't help himself any longer and he blurt out, "Okay. How did you gather that?"

Shin began to very neatly fold up the map, and he glanced at Piccolo, but didn't address him till he put the map away. "Because," Shin explained, "I'm a god." He discreetly gave a wink before he lead them back onto their journey.

The walk was bland in comparison to the work of the previous day. Conversation was dead as each man was caught up in his own thoughts. Piccolo, who towered over those around him, was following Vegeta and staring at the back of his head. He wished he had the guts to harass the brunette about Wohrdin, but he knew better due to his unintended catch of Vegeta slipping hard liquor into his coffee. Instead of pressing the issue, he decided it was best to let it go for the time being.

Of course, the street they needed ran uphill. Lofty apartments closed in the crowded street from either side. Besides color, the buildings appeared identical. Some residents were sitting out on their balconies, fanning themselves as they watched the din of traffic and throng of pedestrians below. Hazy shadows of passing vehicles only gave glimpses of respite from the stifling heat. The only one who seemed unaffected by the weather was Android Seventeen, who was walking with wide strides next to Shin with his hands in his pockets.

"How much further?" Piccolo called out when he could feel sweat trickling down his back. I'm not made for this environment, he thought to himself.

"Another couple of blocks," the god replied, bearing no hint of discomfort in his voice. He was definitely trying to live up to his title.

The rest of the trip seemed to pass quickly and, at a large intersection, Shin lead them across the street to a building that looked as though it belonged in a demilitarized zone. It appeared as if it had been shoddily repainted over the course of many years and rusting metal barred the windows from intruders - or perhaps ensured the occupants could not easily escape. It was mostly grey, but dirt and grime clung to the siding, resilient to stay despite the citizens best - or perhaps, worst - efforts. A group of people stood to the side of the entrance, talking and laughing amongst themselves both loudly and obnoxiously. However, the atmosphere changed when Shin and the crew approached the steps to the front door. The females huddled closer to their male counterparts and their raucous behavior become more intensive and subdued. Gohan, who was still fascinated by all the wonders of an alien planet, stared at them until Vegeta cuffed him over the head.

"Ow!" the half-Saiyan snapped, rubbing the offended area, "What was that for?"

Vegeta retorted, "You're being impolite." The tone of his voice was strenuous and odd.

"You didn't have to hit me.." Gohan grumbled softly, yet he refocused his gaze towards his feet. Goku, who watched the whole ordeal unfold, bit his tongue in order to not make a scene. Between Vegeta's attitude and his sudden, brash inclination of physical violence (however slight and mundane) toward his son, the younger full-blood was more than ready to have a discussion with his lover when this visit with Wohrdin was finished. No matter what Gohan would do or say, he had never incurred Vegeta's wrath outside of sparring.

"The last thing I need right now," Goku decided in his head as he trudged through the front door, "is for Vegeta to start pulling the same old shit from before." He calmed down by reassuring himself that Vegeta probably had a very rational reason for his behavior.

As soon as he stopped worrying about the prince, he took in his immediate surroundings. The dank, cramped hallway was as equally and wholly uncomfortable as his last train of thought. The stench of the building permeated off of every inch. The smells of the old lingered, muted by the conglomeration caused by the current occupants and their various preferences of living styles. Goku had been fortunate in his life in that he had managed to avoid the sections of major cities with poor living standards. There were heavy, unpleasant scents lingering and wafting through the air, but none were more repulsive to the black-haired man than that of one apartment in particular that they passed. He held his breath as his eyes watered because of the overwhelming imprint of urine. He noticed that Vegeta and Android Seventeen were the only ones who weren't cringing or giving outward signs of their distaste.

Then, Shin stopped moving, so they stopped moving. He turned around to address them with a sheepish smile on his face. "I have a confession," he said, "I read the mind of the gentlemen at the last apartment complex we were at, but I didn't receive a room number." Yamcha groaned, but had enough sense to not start bitching and complaining. Piccolo shifted his weight and crossed his arms.

"Well, why don't we-" the Namek started.

Vegeta, however, cut him off, "Seventh floor, down the hall, three doors from the end on the left."

"How would you know that?" Piccolo asked curtly, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"He has a very distinctive smell," the Saiyan replied bluntly, brushing past everyone in order to ascend the staircase.

Somehow, even though they were getting closer to their main goal, the day was getting progressively worse. It was unspoken between the lot of them, but nerves were shot and adrenaline was starving off any sleep deprivation they experienced, and the atmosphere made it nigh impossible to be optimistic.

Spiraling upward, their footsteps piqued interest, but also caused a clear path to erupt before them. A motley crew such as themselves positively oozed trouble.

"A distinctive smell?" Goku mustered up the courage to express his disbelief, "Over _this_?"

Vegeta didn't even look at him as he replied, "You apparently haven't experienced urine in this state before."

"And you have?" Goku shot back nastily.

"Yes," the prince said in such a way that if his words were the embodiment of temperature then they'd be rapidly approaching absolute zero. This made the younger man feel like a jackass, which caused his foul mood to escalate. No one else dared to say a word.

The hallway was typically narrow, and crowded mostly with litter rather than people. Broken pieces of furniture, rotting remains of meals, and bits of plastic and metal were a few of the assorted items strewn about. All of this was perceptively dodged by the train of aliens. They crowded around a door that bore a faded and mutilated number 723. In the quietness of the moment, the air felt charged. Shin raised his hand and leaned in to knock, but Vegeta lifted his foot and kicked the door down. Splintered wood twanged as he knocked debris out of the way and stepped inside.

Compared to the other apartments, the place was nice. Some aerosol and cleaner was combating the odors from outside and barely succeeding. It was mostly modest with sparse traces of trophy wealth. Like a true lackey, Wohrdin apparently had no ability to control his own financing. A crystal chandelier loomed over a coffee table propped up on an empty beer case. "Classy," Yamcha decided to add some commentary. He picked up a magazine and opened it curiously. It had aliens in unhumanoid form doing things he didn't understand with captions he didn't know how to read.

The prince slapped it out of his hand, "That's gross. You don't know where that's been."

The Earthling, realizing he had just done something very stupid, put his hands in his pockets to refrain from touching anything else.

The group spread out across the apartment, peering around in hopes that somehow it would cause a type of development. Vegeta spotted something on the wall, and Shin noticed. "What is it?" the god inquired.

"His calendar," the brunette answered, hovering his hand over the page and dragging it right to left, "It says he's expecting company tonight. Well, that is rather accurate, but unfortunate. For him." Their inner musings were interrupted by the sound of a door creaking. Android Seventeen turned around to be greeted with the face of an older man with greying hair. A look of bewilderment crossed the man's features before it became panic. He slammed the door - or would have if it wasn't for Seventeen's hand. The door flew open as the android gave it a little push, and he held it there to allow Shin entrance.

"Wohrdin Ruzf?" the god asked, his hands neatly clasped in front of him.

"Who wants to know?" the man shot back, warily eyeing the individuals that entered his bedroom. He was pressed against the wall within seconds.

"My name is Kaioshin," Shin answered politely, "I understand that you have worked for Marky. We are agents of Keichii's and wish to speak with him."

Mr. Ruzf nervously shifted and muttered, "I don't know nuthin' about anything. I just work down on the Piires-side factory." How quaint. How innocent. How convenient.

Shin nodded as if he was disappointed, but understanding. He sucked in a breath and pivoted to the side, his back as straight as a ruler. "I'll just leave you be then," the purple-skinned one declared, "After all.. you're not obviously going to divulge any information such as - oh - why hearing Marky's name petrifies you with fear, or what you have under your bed and why you're so worried about that as well. Besides, you wouldn't possibly be interested in Keichii's.. expression of gratification for cooperation. So, we'll just be going now. Gentlemen." He had spared Wohrdin one small look of superiority before he turned away from him completely. Uncertainly, they began to shuffle out when the criminal spoke up.

"Alright! Alright!" the stout resident growled with resignation, "I'll tell you what you want to know, just don't.. don't talk about you-know-what." Shin took great amounts of willpower to not express his elation.

"Please," the god smiled genially and gestured as he spoke, "Have a seat."

Watching the transgression and interaction was enlightening to Gohan in particular. Sometimes, he mused, it's the quiet ones you have to worry about. All bite and no bark. Wohrdin sat at his desk, the wooden chair he chose giving an ominous creak underneath his weight. He poured himself a drink with shaking hands and downed a shot like a drowning man gulps water.

"May I sit?" Shin requested. The "host" gave a nod which signified that he felt he had no real choice in the matter. The deity sat on the very edge of the bed and never broke eye contact with the other man.

Dejected and twinged with hopelessness, Wohrdin slumped and sighed, "What do you want to know?"

"You do trafficking," the god began with a statement, "You're pretty good at it. You've done it a long time and have quite a bit of resources and networks before you. So, what I ask of you is this: Why are you scared of Marcuso Loi, the man that ensured you a prime source of income and offered benefits far beyond the conditions in which you live in now?"

Wohrdin's face was a grim slate, yet somehow twisted with inner conflict. Shin granted him the time to think. Let him mull it over, the Mohawked man thought with patience, Let his own fears dissolve his resistance. He'll tell the truth not because he'll want to, but because he'll think there is no better, viable option. It's only a matter of time.

When Wohrdin met Shin's eyes again, the god knew he had won.

"..Marky was good at what he did too. Too good. He made powerful enemies," the criminal explained, leaning back in his chair, "A few years back, he was made an offer to.. what's it called? Consolodatt.. He was to break up his empire and divide the power, but who wants to share? Marky said no, but Iian insisted."

"So insistent that he'd do it with or without Marky's consent," Shin filled in the blank, "or with or without Marky."

Wohrdin gave a nod of affirmation, "Iian began making hits. Unofficial warfare broke out and Marky began to pack up his operation and ship it to another galaxy."

"Which galaxy?" Shin asked.

"Dunno. Marky had me running 'round here packing up his goods. He was finishing up business when Borrj decided to start his. 'E got Marky in the back and became Iian's right hand man. Iian got his way. He runs the place now. Marky's men.. just moved on or settled down. 'Too dangerous to do it any other way," the old man ended with another, ungracious shot.

The god did not respond till he felt the silence was dragging on too long, but he did purposely tap his hand against the side of the bed in the mean time. While tapping, he spoke quietly and casually, "Marky was moving to another galaxy, and he trusted you enough to handle his merchandise. Where was he sending his goods?" Tap. Tap.

The portly goon shook his head and mumbled rather nonsensically.

"Wohrdin," Shin said. Tap. Tap.

Another shot was downed.

Again, "Wohrdin." Tap. Tap.

The seconds _tapped_ by.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"Ceerse Tsonun," the low-life relented, his cow-like eyes finally meeting Shin's, "but I don't know nuthin' else. Honest."

Coyly, Shin injected, "What about Pandora's Box?"

"What?" Wohrdin replied in befuddlement, "Look, I dunno who Pandora is, but they didn't send anything through Marky that I saw." His ignorance was genuine. He wasn't smart enough to lie. It takes a good liar to come out on top in a situation like this.

Shin inhaled and began to stand, intending on bidding the criminal farewell.

Then, suddenly--

Blood.

It painted the wall, the desk, the chair, and Wohrdin. At least, it painted part of the old man because half of his head was the bit doing the decorating. Shin spun around to see Vegeta's outstretched hand still faintly glowing from the expenditure of ki. The prince's face was like a mask.

"Why the Hell did you do that?" Goku shouted before anyone else even had a chance to act.

"You heard him," the brunette answered coolly, "He didn't know anything else."

"You don't just kill him!" boomed the younger Saiyan.

"He's just a petty criminal," Vegeta growled, "Who cares if he's dead?" A scowl formed on his brow.

"Who cares?" Goku's muscles flexed and his ki crackled slightly, "Vegeta, that's not the point!" He stepped forward, "You don't just kill someone. You don't just decide that his life isn't sacred! That's not for you to decide! You had no right! ..No right!" He punctuated his words with a push on the prince's left shoulder.

"Don't you fucking touch me," Vegeta's voice rumbled dangerously as he retaliated with a shove. Goku moved in and the brunette instantly gave a reflex with his fist. Punches met torsos and faces rapidly, ferociously, and without regard or restraint. Horrified, the group stared at the brawl till some sense filtered in through the haze.

"Hey! HEY!" Piccolo shouted, grabbing their shirts and extending his arms so that they slammed into opposite walls. "Goku!" he glared at the black-haired man, "You're not helping the situation!" When he saw the other male open his mouth, he cut him off, "Shut it! I don't want to hear it!" The Namek turned his attention to the fuming prince, "You." He recognized the look in Vegeta's eyes and, for a second, he hated him. But just for a second. He rotated, spiraling his arms to keep the distance between the Saiyans. "Go cool down," he said to the brunette, literally forcing him out the door. Vegeta glared acidically, but complied. He stepped through the wreckage of the door in silent fury.

"He had _no_ right," Goku fumed, wrestling to wrench free of Piccolo's grasp.

"We heard you the first time!" the Namek said firmly, baring his teeth, "That doesn't change what he's done. If you're not going to contribute constructively, then just go back to the ship." He retracted his arm and let the younger man go. Huffing, Goku stood rooted by some form of self-control that proved his capability.

The corpse sat, a gigantic infringement on their non-involvement rule.

They stood in silence for a moment.

Then they went to work.

---

WOHRDIN RUZF.

Letcheu. Sibcha. Tomn. Nial. Vlekydop.

And Wohrdin.

Dead and gone, except in memory. Perished for the secret they shared.


	20. Conflicts of Interest

**Pandora's Box: VII: Chapter 3**  
aka **Conflicts of Interest**

_"Here is something you can't understand/  
How I could just kill a man/"_  
-Rage Against the Machine "How I Could Just Kill a Man"

The whiskey burned his throat and he thought that he'd only have enough if his ki would make him spontaneously combust from the blood-alcohol ratio.

A swirling miasma of anger pitted itself in his stomach, flared by the notion that they cared about an asshole like Wohrdin. It wasn't as if he was the only connection to Pandora's Box. Marky had other associates, and the old man had given them the galaxy name. Besides, Wohrdin.. deserved what he got.

How dare they ruin the satisfaction, the sense of relief, the feeling of closure!? Was this criminal piece-of-shit worth so much to Kakarot? Did it threaten his view of the universe so much he'd force the Prince of Saiyans into submission!?

Another couple gulps made his insides burn.

Not his right to judge, huh... Then whose right was it? Was Kakarot so naive to think he was never wrong? Had he encouraged this elitist behavior by letting the younger man conquer his heart? The BASTARD...

God, how he loved him.

..He loved him, right? That feeling that came from some place inside of him was elusive as it was powerful. Like an air bubble trapped beneath wallpaper, you could push it away, but never eradicate it. Kakarot always knew where to push, what buttons to press...

"Shit," he thought to himself, "I should stop drinking."

Yet, he still brought the bottle to his lips.

..He wondered what the others were doing at the moment. He imagined them trying to tidy up the remains. Blood stained so easily.

OK, Vegeta granted, Maybe I acted like a dick. Killing someone out of the blue without giving justification was a piss poor plan, and he should have told them ahead of time of his intentions. The Namek had picked up on it since the beginning, but how easy was it to tell them about Wohrdin Ruzf and his previous life in the Frieza empire? He didn't want to see their expressions. Sure, he was at fault. And it was so easy to chalk it up either direction - that he'd be weak to tell them and weak not to, but.. he didn't want to see Kakarot's face when the truth was revealed. Hell, he wasn't sure how _he_ felt about it at the moment. A part of him wanted to make Kakarot suffer and he was aware that is was terribly selfish. It was also very stupid, and thankfully he wasn't ruled by that particular childish notion. He didn't want to make his lover feel guilty about something he lacked control over.

He didn't particularly enjoy playing with people's emotions. "Yet, you did, didn't you?" he reminded himself, "That was the best part, wasn't it? Was that Wohrdin's favorite part too?" His hand clenched the bottle and it fractured the glass. The smell of fear, the rush of excitement, that hedonistic feeling of domination - like touching immortality... "It's hollow," the prince redirected his thoughts, "You know that." He did _know_ it.. didn't he?

Damnit! Why did it have to be Wohrdin? It could have been any thug, a regular, typical lackey, a nameless face.. anyone but that man. Yet, he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. There wasn't regret for his actions, not in the typical sense. In fact, the kill was much cleaner than it could have been. It also was practically instantaneous and therefore painless. Wohrdin wasn't even worthy of such a death.

He lit a cigarette and sat broiling in the early evening sun. Perspiration dotted his forehead while he wondered if his head was dizzy from the heat or the drink. "Probably both," the brunette thought with some amusement. At least it lessened the pain. A drop of sweat tickled his brow so he wiped it away, but he was surprised when he saw crimson.

"Fuck," he said, reaching up and wiping more blood away. He found the tender spot of a gash and applied pressure with his sleeve. He'd be sore tomorrow with bruises no doubt.

He smoked. He sat.

He thought about apologizing to Kakarot.

He wanted the other Saiyan to understand. Maybe not _know_, but to understand why he'd done what he'd done. After all Kakarot had been through, how could he not believe that execution was a proper punishment? He had seen one of the worst beings in the universe threaten everything that the younger man held dear. How did Kakarot's ideals persevere through such blatant attacks? How could his standards be unaffected by the reality and nature of evil? Should it not be acceptable to destroy such an evil for the greater good?

His blood turned brown as it dried on his hands, and Vegeta wasn't sure how he felt, but it wasn't pleasant. He uncoiled his tail and stretched it out, relaxing as it popped out the kinks.

The time trickled by until he noticed the whiskey was gone. He turned his attention to a second bottle - this one of bourbon.

I really shouldn't be drinking, he berated himself, Not like this...

Suddenly, he felt so small, so tiny and insignificant. It was suffocating. He took a drink and nearly spilt it. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and focused on breathing.

I don't need this, Vegeta thought, not now.

If I ignore it, maybe it'll go away.

Maybe it'll stop.

---

Wohrdin's body was neatly wrapped inside several layers of plastic trash bags, and the bits and pieces that were detached from him were cautiously collected by Piccolo. His intervention had prevented some arguments, but he refused to keep interrupting simply because he was tired of taking responsibility. So instead he picked up little chunks of brain and bone from the furniture. The issue at hand was: What should they do with the body? Leave it there? Drop it somewhere? Destroy it? Turn it in to the authorities?

All things considered, Piccolo thought any viable option was one that couldn't be traced back to them. They had more important things to worry about than the proper disposal of this simpleton. For instance, tracing the path Wohrdin had outlined, or finding out why Vegeta was so inclined to murder. "Look at this mess," the Namek thought to himself as he knelt down, "That stupid Saiyan couldn't make a clean kill, could he? Oh no, that would be too easy..." As he reached out to pick up another fleshy bit, his gaze refocused and he changed targets. His hand met a small lock box under the bed and he pulled it out to examine it. The item was old and rusting slightly, and the lock was too difficult to pick, but easy enough to break if you knew how. He went to crack it and a hand was placed on top of his.

"This isn't meant for you," Shin said quietly, "This was his."

"Well, I'm curious," Piccolo retaliated. The hand tightened its grasp.

"Then don't be." He slowly pulled the box away from the green-skinned man.

Piccolo let him take it and he told the god why. "You know what's inside." It wasn't a question. Shin carefully wrapped the small box with a rag and deposited the bundle inside a trash bag which he tied to his belt.

"Leverage," Shin finally said, "That's what's inside. Leverage."

The rest of the clean-up proceeded with a lethargic, tedious, methodical rhythm.

After the group did what they could, the remains were moved into the bathroom and set inside the tub. The room was cramped with an overabundance of occupants, but no one seemed inclined to think much of it, choosing instead to maneuver around one another. It was solemnly quiet.

"I suppose we should say something," Shin declared before deciding to take the action upon himself, "Wohrdin led an estranged life. We barely knew him. May he make amends and rest peacefully."

"Amen," Yamcha said in all seriousness.

Then the god took himself to his knees and placed his hands over the body. A stream of white light encompassed the remains and it grew in intensity till it started to become painful. A brief burst later, Wohrdin no longer existed, and the only evidence that was left was a burnt shell of a bath tub. It was rather anti-climatic. "We should leave," Shin said as he stood, "Now."

---

The wall was made out of brick and it was a dirty sort of brown that he particularly didn't want to look at, but nonetheless suddenly found himself leaning against. A chuckle gurgled up his throat at the silliness of it all, and he didn't know why his legs kept bumping into one another. He tripped on himself and met the asphalt. It still had warmth lingering from sunset and in the confined space he smelt his own breath. Vegeta managed to get back upon his feet after three tries mostly due to the fact that he found a dumpster for support. He was laughing about the whole ordeal by this point. There was some difficulty in picking his feet up off the ground, but the problem was more entertaining than anything else.

God**damn**...

He felt good.

His head was tingling and fuzzy, almost like he was detached from himself. It caused no concern because there was no danger. He stumbled on for awhile. He got lost so many times that he eventually realized he had only gotten lost once and therefore hadn't escaped that state yet.

After some time, his head cleared just enough that he stopped wandering in circles and began making his way back to the ship. The prince began to sober up a bit at the thought, but it was more artificial than anything else.

"You _should_ laugh at it," he told himself, "You should just get over it. Go home." Then the confusion set in because he wasn't even sure what he meant by his words. He let the entire train of thought ease out of his head like water through a colander, and, besides, he could only focus on so much at one time. He opted to construct of some type of an apology rather than turn philosophical with himself.

He meandered out of the twisted, interconnecting alleys and into a street. It was more than that though, and the noise and din made it obvious. It was a market bustling with shoppers and bursting with smells and sights that did nothing to distract him from his inner turmoil. "Kakarot," he said aloud, "I'm sorry that you didn't want me to kill him." His sub-standard footwork caused him to bump into a bystander, and while he used their figure to correct his stance and posture, he continued to prattle to himself and move onward, "Kakarot, I'm sorry I pissed you off." He wandered through the throng of consumers, trying yet again to conjure the right words, "Kakarot, I'm sorry we have different views about things." The prince moved amicably with no real purpose, instead letting the flow of the crowd direct his movement. "Kakarot," he sighed and bunched his tail around his waist, which bristled as his brain derailed, "You have no idea how much I... I..."

The end of his sentence couldn't be achieved on the basis that it had too many endings. Then, that odd feeling came over him again. It was as if it was so intense he had no idea how to control it; the desperately intoxicating emotion that tried to wrestle logic and reason from his grasp. He didn't comprehend why, but at that moment he wanted to cry although he felt no sadness. That's when it happened.

Oh god, he realized, I'm free.

Wohrdin's dead.

Wohrdin. Is. Dead.

Gone.

Eradicated.

No more.

Wohrdin's dead.  
And I killed him. It was me. Isn't this what they called poetic justice? The apprehension leaked out of him like sand from a sieve. A sweeping sense of calmness seized him and he ceased walking to just _stand_. His body swayed - a little from the alcohol, and a little from the crowd. Glorious rapture was bestowed upon him, and he knew it was due to the retribution he had delivered upon Wohrdin. This kill was so unlike the others. Yes, it was selfish, but.. it wasn't unwarranted. Wohrdin was not a stranger. Wohdrin was not an innocent. And Vegeta hadn't done it for Freiza, but rather for himself.

He was free.

And he was laughing. Fantastically satisfying rolls of laughter were exhaled deeply from his chest steadily and boisterously. Onlookers were completely ignored as he lived in this moment.

He wasn't sure of when he had started moving again, but it wasn't long before the ship came into view. He paused to consider what to say when he would walk through that door. Vegeta wasn't satisfied with anything preassembled. It made his words seem.. artificial. "Forget it," he thought to himself, "just go in and say it. Just say 'I'm sorry' and go from there."

He leaned against the doorframe so he could properly enter the pass code, and when he was admitted entrance, the first thing revealed to him was Kakarot. Vegeta was greeted to the sight of his lover standing up from the couch from whence he had been sternly sitting with arms crossed.

"What.. the hell.. is wrong with you!?" Goku hissed lowly, obviously trying to give consideration to anyone trying to sleep. "Did you enjoy making a mockery of my values?" the younger man growled with his fists clenched into two angry, white balls, "Is it as if your position gives you privilege to do as you damn well please? If anything, I hold a higher expectation for you! We had agreed that you were past all this.. senselessness, Vegeta. I don't like it when you purposely destroy what I try so hard to protect."

He let the other man rant and rave. It was probably better that these things were said.

"Do you have any idea how much this hurts me?" Goku asked - no, pleaded - with surprisingly clear and lucid eyes. It struck the prince inside and his chest tightened, but Vegeta stood rooted, simply taking the barrage. After awhile, however, this had a negative effect because Goku noticed that he was inebriated and assumed that the older man wasn't paying attention, regardless that the opposite was true. "You went drinking," Goku stated, "You know.. how I hate that."

I do? thought Vegeta with confusion.

The younger Saiyan was far from finished. Even if Vegeta was drunk, he was going to have his say and get it off his chest. He couldn't pretend that everything was okay. It wasn't just that the prince literally took matters into his own hands; it was that his actions felt like a personal attack. Goku refused to return to the point where Vegeta denied sensibility and spoke with his fists rather than his mouth. He simply would not allow it to happen. He loved Vegeta too much to let him lead them both down a path of destruction.

Trying desperately to push away the anger, Goku spoke more slowly and in a softer tone, "Why, Vegeta? Why aren't you even answering me?"

That was easy.  
Because he was scared.

Scared of Kakarot's retaliation and because of the truth he was hiding. Every moment that passed made the black-haired Saiyan's expression deepen in disappointment. What could Vegeta possibly say that would appease his lover? Sorry wasn't near enough. Instead, he accepted the defeat. He accepted the fact that he didn't know what to say and that he couldn't bring himself to speak the words he had promised himself to declare. In the place of the apology, he came forward and took Kakarot in his arms. Goku stiffened at first, but soon relaxed. He withheld a response because he expected Vegeta to say something. Anything.

The words did not come. The silence stretched, and Goku began to resign himself to the fate presented.

He jumped when he felt warmth spread across the shell of his ear, but the prince's body held him fast and the dark rumble that came from the brunette's throat hinted towards his intentions. "Vegeta," the younger man sighed in irritation, his hands pressing against pectorals. The intended effect was not achieved as the prince closed the gap between their bodies. Anger started to bubble up from within the black-haired Saiyan as he shoved at his lover with no avail. He simply would not let him go.

"Vegeta!" Goku barked out, louder and more terse. The prince nuzzled his face against the crook of his neck, inhaling the fragrance of the younger man. Goku wrestled for a brief second before the wind was suddenly knocked out of him. His back was grinding against the wall and the air became musty and charged. He opened his eyes from a wince to see a Super Saiyan smirking up at him. A pang of fear curled in his stomach as Goku stared into the inhuman, teal eyes, and he squirmed as Vegeta pressed a thigh between his legs. Hands smoothed from sides, to chest, to collar, to shoulders, where they finally reached their goal of the biceps and pinned them down. "Ve--ge--ta...!" he growled out now, the taste of condensed ki and alcohol assaulting him as he inhaled. Abruptly, his body was pulled away from the wall, spun, then lifted. Disoriented, it took him a moment to come to his senses and notice he had been slung over the prince's shoulder. Goku's hands went to find leverage to fight, but he was shocked when Vegeta's tail snapped at them when they touched the older male. An angry red line ran across his alabaster skin.

The door to their quarters opened with a near silent swish, and Vegeta closed and locked it before turning and tossing the other Saiyan face down onto the bed. It squeaked in protest and, infuriated, Goku pushed himself up only to be knocked down once more. The darkest of purrs rumbled lowly next to his ear, tickling it and sending shivers down his spine. Then a hot tongue lightly lapped at the back before teeth gently grabbed the lobe in order for it to be sucked upon. Goku tried futilely to pull himself out from under the other man. Vegeta felt impossibly heavy and his aggressive behavior was not helping the situation. Between his lungs being compressed because of the added weight and the attentive mouth on one of his erogenous zones, Goku's breaths soon became shallow and ragged. _It's hopeless.._ he thought to himself angrily, but with these words the resistance began to leave his body.

His neck was nuzzled again while hands secured his wrists against the mattress. Nips reddened the skin and sweeps of the tongue laved them away till Vegeta pulled back only to switch sides. A shudder coursed through Goku as the beginnings of an erection was ground against the sheets. Then the mouth was gone, and the weight on his back shifted which allowed for cool air to come rushing into his lungs. After a few, hasty breaths, he opened his eyes that he hadn't knowingly closed. He found himself looking at Vegeta's face intensively for the second time that night. The abnormal coloring of the prince seemed to accentuate his atypical actions, but did little in revealing his motives other than the obvious.

To Vegeta, there were no words. They weren't needed here. They had no place. He wanted to tell Kakarot how he felt - how Kakarot made him feel, but the words always got jumbled and tangled by the time they wanted to escape his head. Instead, he could speak with his lips with kisses. He could tell his regret and apology with each caress. He wanted to love Kakarot wholly, completely, with no restraint of anxiety. He wanted to make him quiver with desire and moan in bliss. Tonight, he wanted the roles reversed; Vegeta longed to please his lover till he was screaming and satisfied. He started with a kiss.

Goku was looking into a pair of deep, blue-green pupils that flawlessly matched their irises when Vegeta leaned in and captured his lips. Startled by the sudden transition, the younger Saiyan jolted before a hand wove into the hairs on the nape of his neck. He breathed haphazardly through his nose before calming down. It was amazing how few kisses it took from Vegeta before his lips started tingling. The lingering flavor of some alcoholic beverage caused him to frown however, and his reciprocation nearly came to a halt. With a gruff sigh, the prince resituated himself so that he was straddling Goku just above the knees. The black-haired Saiyan gave another attempt to sit up, but the hand on his neck insisted otherwise.

Fingertips raked down his back hard, yet not painfully so. They felt like some type of heated metal on the verge of branding him - strangely pleasant. His shirt was brushed upwards, crumpling around his chest and exposing his back. Nails dragged themselves like feathers along the curve of the spine, a welcome, though unanticipated, turn of an event. They traced across his only scar and a sharp hiss erupted from his mouth before he could even register what was occurring. An odd plethora of sensations and emotions exploded inside of his head - ranging from astonishment to pain to yearning. Apologetically, the hand removed itself, allowing Goku to breathe. Before he could truly recover, a hot mouth covered the pigmented flesh and an adoring tongue carefully swiped itself back and forth in lazy licks. "Unngh!" a harsh moan was torn from the younger man's throat as his hips automatically moved away from the stimulus. It was too much, but Vegeta did not relent as he continued his languid rotations.

The brash audacity in which he was being treated almost cleared Goku's head of the intense haze of indecision and complacency. He reminded himself to inhale before he tried to look back over his shoulder. "Vegeeeeta," his voice sounded thick and raspy, even to himself, "S...Sst-op..." It was almost like the words were hiccups due to the fragmentation. Yet, instead of relief, he was given the best kind of torture. A sharp gasp erupted from him before he fisted the covers in his hands. His erection positively _throbbed_ as he grit his teeth together and squeezed his eyes shut. Instead of helping, this only made it worse. He could feel the hot flat of Vegeta's tongue as he licked, or the talented tip that outlined his tail spot with deliberate care. God.. if this was how it felt for one's tail to be touched.. it was no wonder that Vegeta was so protective over his.

Another particularly excruciatingly delicious swipe caused Goku to sob out brokenly, "Vehge-e-eeta..!" It stopped. Only now did Goku realize how harshly he was breathing and how painful the aches in his groin truly were. There was the shifting of weight, and suddenly his shoes were pulled off and tossed aside, clunking into the furniture. One hand pressed against the middle of his back, while the other roughly hooked itself into his belt loops and yanked. "Nnn!" Goku choked as more pressure was applied to his hardness. Finally, the seams gave and his pants met the same fate of his foot apparel. Hands gripped his legs and spread them apart with firm demand. Blushing, Goku resisted, but eventually yielded when he realized it was like fighting a losing battle.

He inhaled sharply as hands smoothed up from the back of his knees, his thighs, and across his backside in an outward motion. Vegeta's purr was suddenly apparent to his younger lover, and it sounded more deep and guttural than normal. Then, it seemed to change pitch.

"AHH! Hnngk..!" Goku threw his head back as his legs trembled around the prince. That beautifully talented tongue brushed across his sacs generously and without mercy. A prickling heart spiraled low in his belly while he tried to ignore the painful pulses that came across his erection in heady waves. Goku strained against the foreign sensation with uncertainty - it was borderline ticklish, but executed with such precision that it caused a desperate, burning desire for more. Moans spilled out of his throat between harsh pants for oxygen, and thoughts of escaping the Super Saiyan's grasp melted away with the heavenly delicate nibbles that made his blood boil.

He said the brunette's name till he felt a soft brush across his buttocks which then slithered down is cleft. Stunned, Goku's lungs refused to function as the velveteen gently swept across his entrance in beautifully torturous rotations. The purr returned, like a sensual language of its own that spoke only in erotic lullabies and ardent promises. The tail flicked once, twice, and then there was a mild force and pleasure. "Aahm!" the younger inhaled a moan as the tail slide inside. Thankfully, he was granted a moment before it began its slow pistoning. Though shallow and cautious, the sensation was unique and unprecedented. Goku squirmed in an attempt to somehow alleviate some of the ache in his groin, but his frustrations only mounted as Vegeta rotated the appendage and let him feel the bristle of his fur.

"Nnnh!.. aaah!" angry, little groans burst out of Goku's throat as he blushed hotly. He was mad at himself for not taking control of the situation as he should have. Growling, he fought to raise his face from the cushions. "Ss..sst-" he gasped at each clockwise and counter-clockwise movement till he finally was able to bark out, "STOP!"

Motionless. Then, the tail retreated and the stillness made the spots evaporate from the black-haired one's vision - spots he hadn't realized were there. Taking a deep breath, Goku was able to eventually lock his elbows in a push-up position. He wanted the prince to understand that he shouldn't use him as a means to satisfy his sexual cravings when the brunette was in this condition. He had _hands_, after all, and a tail to top it off with. When Goku had just begun to regain his senses, those hands lightly caressed his back, traced underneath his shoulder blades and rubbed down the edges of his spine till they deviated and firmly took hold of his hips. "Vegeta.." the younger Saiyan started to speak until something undeniably larger than a tail took its former place. Vegeta released a silky growl as he pulled his lover's body up to his own, sheathing himself in one smooth, yet measured, stroke.

The prince felt a shudder ripple through Goku's body, so he held him and purred in an enticement to relax. This role and style was unfamiliar to both of them, but Vegeta had faith that it would succeed in proving himself. The sounds that the younger Saiyan made were pleasantly new. Normally, it was Goku that initiated the foreplay, but Vegeta was determined to make him feel special and doted upon. That is why, when the younger requested for him to stop, he would not make him wait any longer.

"Mmh," the prince heard himself release a quiet sound of sexual contentment. The warmth of Kakarot's body was more pleasant and desirable than the vestiges of intoxication that alcohol offered. He ran his hands up across the younger's back and neck so that he could lightly pet his hair. He pulled the strands gently before replacing them to their previous position. Then he pulled back slowly with a shuddering breath and slight squeeze of the hips. Exercising the same careful motion, he slid forward till he was fully seated.

"Ve... Vege..." Goku's voice quietly whined between breaths. He felt confined pressed against the sheets, yet he couldn't summon the strength to maneuver himself elsewhere. Strangely, he felt euphorically dizzy, but it wasn't from lack of oxygen. "Ve..geta.." he tried again, though he wasn't sure what he was pleading for, only that he was begging for something that was withheld. Soft fur coiled around his neck and tickled his ear lavishly. Oddly, Goku felt a brief spike of panic as the tail wrapped across this throat, though a deep, powerful thrust made him instantly forget. Slow and hard, but not more than he could take. Every electric touch brought the younger Saiyan to the borderline of pain, yet somehow never actually threatened to push him over. It was uniquely disorienting, and only furthered the sensation that he was light-headed.

He lost all sense of time almost immediately. Instead of seconds and minutes, he focused on strokes and moans. Each time Vegeta sheathed himself, Goku exhaled what air he had managed to gather into his lungs - while each retraction caused his eyes to flutter. He had been with the prince many times, but this occasion seemed very different than the rest. Perhaps it was the rage that contested his heart, or Vegeta's unusual, assertive behavior coupled with the intensity of the act itself. It was as if Vegeta's inebriation was now his own, and it was aphrodisiac.

"Oh! Nhh!" the younger whined as the tail tightened briefly before retracting. It slithered down his back to wind around his waist while Vegeta rotated his hips. Panting harshly, Goku's hands fisted in the sheets as delicious torment cascaded up his spine. He heard himself moaning, hitting notes an alto or soprano would pride themselves on. They mirrored the deep, contented growls from his prince. Why did it have to feel so good? He wanted to tell Vegeta that this was enough, that they needed to stop, that everything about this was wrong-

"AUNNNGK!" Goku screamed into the covers as velveteen fur tickled the tip of his erection. Then he felt his eyes squeeze shut as he felt delirium approaching. The black-haired Saiyan attempted to concentrate, but Vegeta increased the pace as if anticipating his intentions. Half-bitten groans and choked sobs were wrung from the younger's throat, each thrust taking him closer to oblivion. Every succeeding second that passed made the air feel more saturated with ki, making it more difficult for Goku to breathe the humidity.

He reached out to the brunette's mind, but his message was smothered with another.

_Sacrifice._ "Uhn.k.." Goku's eyes rolled back.

_Power._ "Ooh! OH!" hands tore at the covers, shredding portions into ribbons.

_Control._ "Ahn.. Ve.. Veget-!" the cry died as he failed to breathe.

_Pride._ "VEGETA!" a call of desperation.

Kakarot.

_Freedom._ Silence.

The type of silence that recognized sound, but didn't hear it. It bypassed the pounding in his ears, the protest of the bed, and the soft sound of skin against skin. The kind of silence that had coiled deep within and sprang like fire across his body. The kind that numbed the pain in his heart and his mind. It was agonizingly delicious.

The malignant influence faded and was replaced with shame and disappointment. Shame for enjoying something he denied, and disappointment for failing the denial. Goku felt Vegeta's heavy weight shift and the pressure on his lungs was relieved. When he could muster the energy the younger turned his face to the prince, but Vegeta was already laying on his side unconscious from both the chemicals in his blood and his brief flirtation with ecstasy.

It was impossible for Goku to believe that everything was going to be okay. He also would not allow Vegeta to pretend that it was. The brunette had abandoned sensibility in favor for broken logic and fleeting gratification.

He loved Vegeta too much to let him lead them both down a path of destruction.

The Earth-raised Saiyan knew what he had to do.


End file.
